Depressive symptoms in patients with hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon alpha therapy: a 24-week prospective study

To prospectively evaluate depressive symptoms and risk factors for depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with pegylated interferon alpha therapy combined with oral ribavirin (PEG-IFN-α+RBV) and to analyze self-rating scale for depression in comparison to observer-based scale in the given population. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Zung Self Rating Depression Scale were used to screen for depressive symptoms in 74 subjects with CHC before PEG- IFN-α (mean dose 152.6±25.6 mcg), and in the follow-up visits (4, 12 and 24 week). Incidence of depressive symptoms in patients (mean age 39.9±13.4 years; equal sex distribution p=0.225) treated by PEG- IFN-α was the highest on 12th week of the treatment, when more than a 20% of our sample had moderate/severe symptoms of depression, and about 30% had minor depressive symptoms. For the screening of depression during PEG- IFN-α self-assessment scale was equally reliable as observer-based assesment of depressive symptoms. Common clinical parameters- subject related risk factors (age (p=0.955 ), sex (p=0.008), lifetime psychiatric disorder (p=0.656)), illness related risk factors (duration of CHC (p=0.267 ), i.v drug aplication as way of transmission (p=0.292)) and therapy-related risk factors (recommended duration of PEG-IFN-α (p=0.993) and dose of PEG-IFN-α (p=0.841)) were not signifcantly associated with depressive symptoms on PEG-IFN-α. Liason-consultation services should collaborate with hepatologists in creating screening programmes, supplemented by objective criteria and guidelines, for early recognition and treatment of interferon-induced depression.