BACKGROUND/AIMS: Up to 50% of patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) complain of chronic fatigue and difficulties in concentration and memory. The aim of the present study was to seek evidence for the presence of central nervous system involvement in HCV infected patients with only mild liver disease. METHODS: Thirty HCV infected patients with normal liver function, 15 of whom were identified as having mild and 15 moderate to severe fatigue using the fatigue impact scale, underwent neurological and neuropsychological examination, electroencephalography (EEG) and cerebral proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). Fifteen healthy volunteers, matched for age and educational attainment, served as controls. RESULTS: In comparison to the healthy controls the patients with HCV infection showed evidence of cognitive impairment, primarily attention and higher executive functions, higher levels of anxiety and depression and impairment of quality of life. In addition they showed a significant decrease of the N-acetyl-aspartate/creatine ratio in the cerebral cortex on 1H MRS while the EEG was slowed in 25%. In general the deficits were more marked in the patients with moderate rather than mild fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The data provide evidence of central nervous system involvement in patients with HCV infection.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Up to 50% of patients infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) complain of chronic fatigue and difficulties in concentration and memory. The aim of the present study was to seek evidence for the presence of central nervous system involvement in HCV infectedpatients with only mild liver disease. METHODS: Thirty HCV infectedpatients with normal liver function, 15 of whom were identified as having mild and 15 moderate to severe fatigue using the fatigue impact scale, underwent neurological and neuropsychological examination, electroencephalography (EEG) and cerebral proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). Fifteen healthy volunteers, matched for age and educational attainment, served as controls. RESULTS: In comparison to the healthy controls the patients with HCV infection showed evidence of cognitive impairment, primarily attention and higher executive functions, higher levels of anxiety and depression and impairment of quality of life. In addition they showed a significant decrease of the N-acetyl-aspartate/creatine ratio in the cerebral cortex on 1HMRS while the EEG was slowed in 25%. In general the deficits were more marked in the patients with moderate rather than mild fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: The data provide evidence of central nervous system involvement in patients with HCV infection.
Authors: Assawin Gongvatana; Ronald A Cohen; Stephen Correia; Kathryn N Devlin; Jadrian Miles; Hakmook Kang; Hernando Ombao; Bradford Navia; David H Laidlaw; Karen T Tashima Journal: J Neurovirol Date: 2011-10-01 Impact factor: 2.643
Authors: Erin E Morgan; Steven Paul Woods; Alexandra Rooney; William Perry; Igor Grant; Scott L Letendre Journal: Clin Neuropsychol Date: 2012-04-26 Impact factor: 3.535
Authors: Maiko Sakamoto; Steven Paul Woods; Michael Kolessar; Daniel Kriz; J Renee Anderson; Hannah Olavarria; Anna W Sasaki; Michael Chang; Kenneth D Flora; Jennifer M Loftis; Marilyn Huckans Journal: J Neurovirol Date: 2013-09-10 Impact factor: 2.643
Authors: Taylor Kuhn; Philip Sayegh; Jacob D Jones; Jason Smith; Manoj K Sarma; A Ragin; Elyse J Singer; M Albert Thomas; April D Thames; Steven A Castellon; Charles H Hinkin Journal: J Neurovirol Date: 2017-05-30 Impact factor: 2.643