Sadness and mild cognitive impairment as predictors for interferon-alpha-induced depression in patients with hepatitis C.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Antiviral therapy with interferon-alpha (IFN-α) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with increased risk for depression.

AIMS:

To identify clinical predictors for IFN-α-induced depression during antiviral therapy for HCV infection.

METHOD:

Depression (defined with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)) was evaluated before and during antiviral treatment in 91 people with chronic HCV infection without a history of psychiatric disorders. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Trail Making Test A/B (TMT A/B). (Trial registration at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00136318.)

RESULTS:

Depression during antiviral therapy was significantly associated with a baseline MADRS score of 3 or higher (P = 0.006). In total, 89% (n = 16) of patients who had a baseline score >0 for the single item sadness developed depression. Poor baseline performance in the TMT A (P = 0.027) and TMT B (P = 0.033) was predictive for severe depression.

CONCLUSIONS:

Pre-treatment screening for subthreshold depressive and cognitive symptoms will help to identify those at risk for IFN-α-associated depression among patients with chronic hepatitis C.

• Authors: Susanne Sarkar, Rahul Sarkar, Thomas Berg, Martin Schaefer
• Journal: The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science (Br J Psychiatry) Vol. 206 Issue 1 Pg. 45-51 (Jan 2015) ISSN: 1472-1465 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25359924 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Chemical References

• Antiviral Agents
• Interferon-alpha

Topics

• Antiviral Agents (adverse effects)
• Cognitive Dysfunction (complications)
• Depression (chemically induced, complications)
• Double-Blind Method
• Hepatitis C, Chronic (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
• Humans
• Interferon-alpha (adverse effects)
• Risk Factors