OBJECTIVE: To determine whether individuals with concurrent active psychiatric disease and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be treated safely and effectively with interferon-alpha. DESIGN: Prospective, open label study. SETTING: Tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-one consecutive patients with co-existent chronic HCV and a psychiatric illness. INTERVENTIONS: Interferon-alpha was administered at doses of either 5 MU three times per week for 6 months (n = 17) or 5 MU daily for 6 months (n = 14). METHODS: HCV-RNA in serum was measured using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels were assessed and liver biopsy was performed before and after 6 months of treatment and again after 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the 31 patients completed 6 months of therapy. Two patients discontinued therapy after 2 and 3 months of treatment. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels returned to normal in 22 (71%) patients. Fifteen (48%) of the 31 patients cleared HCV-RNA from their serum. Only four patients experienced a worsening of their psychiatric illness during treatment. Interferon therapy was discontinued in two of these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a co-existent psychiatric illness and chronic HCV can be treated successfully with interferon-alpha with the active participation of a psychiatrist and the maintenance of psychotropic drug therapy during interferon treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether individuals with concurrent active psychiatric disease and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be treated safely and effectively with interferon-alpha. DESIGN: Prospective, open label study. SETTING: Tertiary referral hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty-one consecutive patients with co-existent chronic HCV and a psychiatric illness. INTERVENTIONS: Interferon-alpha was administered at doses of either 5 MU three times per week for 6 months (n = 17) or 5 MU daily for 6 months (n = 14). METHODS:HCV-RNA in serum was measured using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels were assessed and liver biopsy was performed before and after 6 months of treatment and again after 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of the 31 patients completed 6 months of therapy. Two patients discontinued therapy after 2 and 3 months of treatment. Serum alanine aminotransferase levels returned to normal in 22 (71%) patients. Fifteen (48%) of the 31 patients cleared HCV-RNA from their serum. Only four patients experienced a worsening of their psychiatric illness during treatment. Interferon therapy was discontinued in two of these patients. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with a co-existent psychiatric illness and chronic HCV can be treated successfully with interferon-alpha with the active participation of a psychiatrist and the maintenance of psychotropic drug therapy during interferon treatment.
Authors: Arthur R Van Gool; Wim H J Kruit; Frederike K Engels; Gerrit Stoter; Marjolein Bannink; Alexander M M Eggermont Journal: Pharm World Sci Date: 2003-02
Authors: Diana L Sylvestre; Jennifer M Loftis; Peter Hauser; Sander Genser; Helen Cesari; Nicolette Borek; Thomas F Kresina; Leonard Seeff; Henry Francis Journal: J Urban Health Date: 2004-12 Impact factor: 3.671
Authors: Peter Hauser; Benjamin J Morasco; Alex Linke; Dannell Bjornson; Samantha Ruimy; Annette Matthews; Aly Rifai; David W Indest; Jennifer M Loftis Journal: Psychosomatics Date: 2009 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 2.386