BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence, type, and severity of emotional distress in a large group of consecutive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients not receiving anti-viral therapy. METHODS: The brief symptom inventory and a 67-item questionnaire with the SF-36 embedded within it were used to study 220 outpatients with compensated CHC. RESULTS: Seventy-seven (35%) participants reported significantly elevated global severity index (GSI) T-scores compared to an expected frequency of 10% in population controls. In addition, significantly elevated depression, anxiety, somatization, psychoticism, and obsessive-compulsive subscale T-scores were reported in 28-40% of subjects. Subjects with an active psychiatric co-morbidity had significantly higher GSI and subscale T-scores compared to subjects with active medical co-morbidities and subjects without medical or psychiatric co-morbidities (P<0.01). However, patients with CHC alone also had a higher frequency of elevated GSI T-scores compared to population controls (20 versus 10%). GSI and subscale T-scores were strongly associated with SF-36 summary scores (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant emotional distress was reported in 35% of CHC patients not receiving antiviral therapy. In addition to depression, a broad array of psychological symptoms were observed. Further investigation into the etiopathogenesis and treatment of emotional distress in CHC patients is warranted.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence, type, and severity of emotional distress in a large group of consecutive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients not receiving anti-viral therapy. METHODS: The brief symptom inventory and a 67-item questionnaire with the SF-36 embedded within it were used to study 220 outpatients with compensated CHC. RESULTS: Seventy-seven (35%) participants reported significantly elevated global severity index (GSI) T-scores compared to an expected frequency of 10% in population controls. In addition, significantly elevated depression, anxiety, somatization, psychoticism, and obsessive-compulsive subscale T-scores were reported in 28-40% of subjects. Subjects with an active psychiatric co-morbidity had significantly higher GSI and subscale T-scores compared to subjects with active medical co-morbidities and subjects without medical or psychiatric co-morbidities (P<0.01). However, patients with CHC alone also had a higher frequency of elevated GSI T-scores compared to population controls (20 versus 10%). GSI and subscale T-scores were strongly associated with SF-36 summary scores (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant emotional distress was reported in 35% of CHCpatients not receiving antiviral therapy. In addition to depression, a broad array of psychological symptoms were observed. Further investigation into the etiopathogenesis and treatment of emotional distress in CHCpatients is warranted.
Authors: Hla-Hla Thein; Tony Butler; Murray Krahn; William Rawlinson; Michael H Levy; John M Kaldor; Gregory J Dore Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2006-03 Impact factor: 3.671
Authors: Herbert L Bonkovsky; Kristin K Snow; Peter F Malet; Carla Back-Madruga; Robert J Fontana; Richard K Sterling; Clark C Kulig; Adrian M Di Bisceglie; Timothy R Morgan; Jules L Dienstag; Marc G Ghany; David R Gretch Journal: J Hepatol Date: 2006-11-27 Impact factor: 25.083
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Authors: K K Snow; H L Bonkovsky; R J Fontana; H-Y Kim; R K Sterling; A M Di Bisceglie; T R Morgan; J L Dienstag; M G Ghany Journal: Aliment Pharmacol Ther Date: 2010-01-12 Impact factor: 8.171