The Effect of Combination Antiviral Therapy in the Treatment of Hepatitis C on the Occurrence of Depressive Disorder in Patients Treated for Hepatitis C in the Republic of Srpska

• Published in: Medicinski arhiv 2016-04, Vol.70 (2), p.127-130
• Main Authors: Banjac, Visnja, Zivlak-Radulovic, Nera, Miskovic, Mirjana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antiviral Agents - administration & dosage; Antiviral Agents - adverse effects; Bosnia and Herzegovina - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - chemically induced; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy, Combination - adverse effects; Female; Hepatitis C, Chronic - drug therapy; Hepatitis C, Chronic - epidemiology; Humans; Interferon-alpha - administration & dosage; Interferon-alpha - adverse effects; Male; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Personality Inventory; Prospective Studies; Ribavirin - administration & dosage; Ribavirin - adverse effects; Risk Factors; Severity of Illness Index; Sex Distribution; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0350-199X; 1986-5961
• DOI: 10.5455/medarh.2016.70.127-130

The current standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C in Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of pegylated interferon alpha in combination with ribavirin. Interferon therapy has many psychiatric side effects, with depressive symptomatology being most prominent. The aim of the study was to establish the frequency and severity of depression in patients with chronic hepatitis C during two months of the aforementioned therapy. The overall sample consisted of 46 subjects, divided into three subgroups, aged 18 to 65. The study population consisted of subjects treated for chronic hepatitis C (n = 15), subjects infected but not treated for chronic hepatitis C (n = 15), and healthy controls (n = 16). The assessment and level of depression were based on the Structural clinical interview (SCID), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. The assessments were conducted before interferon therapy (on the day 0), after 4 and 8 weeks of therapy. Regarding its frequency, MADRS scoring showed that the number of depressed subjects receiving therapy increased after 8 weeks (46.7%). There was statistical significance between the subgroups after 4 and 8 weeks. Likewise, the ZUNG scale showed that the number of depressed subjects receiving therapy increased after 8 weeks (73.3%). There was statistical significance between the subgroups on the day 0, after 4 and 8 weeks. Depression was significantly more frequent in chronic hepatitis C subjects treated with interferon alpha in combination with ribavirin than in subjects in the group without therapy. Mild depression was most prevalent.