Comparison of side-effect profile during standard and pegylated interferon treatment in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients

With recent availability of Sofosbuvir, Chronic Hepatitis C treatment paradigmhas changed considerably. However for a resource constrained country like Pakistan, still thestandard treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C remains the combination of Interferons and Ribavirin.Depression, sometimes major, is a recognized side effect of this combination. Objective: Theobjective of our study was to analyze the prevalence of depression during treatment with pegylatedinterferon and ribavirin in patients infected with Hepatitis C at two tertiary care hospitals Lahore.Setting: All these patients were selected randomly from outpatient departments at FatimaMemorial Hospital and Alshafi Hospital Lahore. Duration of study: Duration of our study wastwo years and 3 months from January 2010 to April 2012. Patients and Method: We included180 patients in our study. We confirmed the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C in all these willinglyparticipated patients. All these participants were put on combination of pegylated interferonand ribavirin. Serial follow ups were done for the assessment of development of depressionduring the treatment of Hepatitis C. Results: 46.8 (26%) patients developed depression duringtreatment. Depression was more common in the middle of treatment which gradually improvednear the end of treatment. Conclusion: We reached at a conclusion in our study that there isdefinite correlation of depression with pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy in hepatitis Cpatients.

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Trazodone in treatment of interferon-induced anxiety in persons with viral hepatitis C

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1415 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S756-S757

Author(s):

A. Miljatovic

Keyword(s):

Chronic Hepatitis ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Chronic Hepatitis C ◽

Interferon Alpha ◽

Interferon Therapy ◽

Pegylated Interferon ◽

Study Group ◽

Interferon Treatment ◽

Pegylated Interferon Alpha ◽

Viral Hepatitis C

IntroductionThe interferon therapy is associated with numerous adverse psychiatric effects, such as tension, irritability, insomnia, etc.GoalThe goal of this study was to examine the severity and the frequency of anxiety in persons with chronic hepatitis C receiving pegylated interferon alpha combined with ribavirin. We have also tried to assess the efficiency of trazodone in treatment of symptoms of anxiety in patients receiving pegylated interferon.MethodThe total of 36 patients whose diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C has been confirmed both serologically and patohistologically, receiving interferon therapy, ages 22 to 60, participated in this study. The control group consisted of 32 patients, all with same diagnosis, corresponding with those in the study group in terms of gender, age duration of the illness and the level of education. All patients received pegylated interferon alpha 2a, administered subcutaneously once per week, along with oral ribavirin. The research used the following instruments of clinical assessment: structural clinical interview–SCID, ICD–10; Hamilton anxiety rating scale–HAM-A, and the self-report scale for assessment of anxiety–state-trait anxiety inventory–STAI-Form Y. The testing using these instruments was conducted four weeks after the start of the treatment, then after eight weeks, after 12, 24 and 48 weeks, i.e. at the end of the treatment. The patients in the study group received 150–300 mg of trazodone per day, starting at the week 6 of interferon treatment.ResultsThe research showed that in the beginning of the interferon treatment approximately one quarter of the patients exhibited symptoms of anxiety in both groups. The administration of trazodone showed beneficial effects in reduction of anxiety induced by the treatment with pegylated interferon.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

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