@article {165,
	title = {Pharmacoutilization and Costs of Nucleoside and Nucleotide Analog Inhibitors for Hepatitis B Treatment in the Vesuvian Area of South Italy},
	journal = {International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences},
	volume = {2},
	year = {2013},
	month = {June 2013},
	pages = {55-57},
	type = {Short Communication},
	chapter = {55},
	abstract = {<p class="rtejustify">Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important sanitary problem due to its worldwide distribution and high social im-pact; severe complications of chronic hepatitis induced by HBV are cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We conducted a survey with the aim i) to show the updated prevalence of the disease and ii) to evaluate the economic impact of treatment with oral agents (nucleoside and nucleotide analog inhibitors) in a region of the South Italy com-prising 1.012.304 inhabitants. Between January and December 2012, 778 patients with hepatitis B (prevalence: 0.08\%) were treated. The total pharmaceutical cost was {\texteuro} 2.082.926 (3\% of the total sanitary expense). Oral drugs against HVB have a moderate impact on the pharmaceutical spending. The major economic impact associated with HBV infection is primarily represented by the later development of cirrhosis and HCC.</p>
},
	keywords = {Hepatitis B, Pharmaceutical spending, Pharmacoutilization, Prevalence},
	author = {Maurizio Capuozzo and Alessandro Ottaiano and Eduardo Nava and Stefania Cascone and Claudia Cinque and Adriano Vercellone and Rosario Vincenzo Iaffaioli}
}
