Is the interferon-α-triggered depressive episode a self-limited kind of depression? Four cases of persistent affective symptoms after antiviral treatment in HCV-infected individuals.

Objectives: To discuss relevant aspects in a series of cases in which interferon-α-triggered depressive symptoms persisted up to 4 years after therapy cessation in HCV-infected patients.

Methods: Two experienced psychiatrists (AGA and LCQ) identified these four cases in a systematic evaluation program of HCV patients in the Hepatology Unit of the Teaching Hospital at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil. Lifetime psychiatric diagnoses were confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI Plus), and a questionnaire was submitted in order to gather clinical and sociodemographic characteristics.

Can antidepressants prevent interferon-alpha-induced depression? A review of the literature.

Objective: To review the literature about the efficacy of antidepressant prophylaxis during interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy.

Method: We have performed a database search in PUBMED and ISI Web of Knowledge (1980-August 2009) for the available literature. The keywords "prevention" or "prophylaxis", and "depression", and "interferon", and "antidepressant" or "antidepressive agents" were used.

Impact of psychiatric disorders on the quality of life of brazilian HCV-infected patients.

The aim of our study was to determine the impact of psychiatric comorbidities on the health-related quality of life of HCV-infected patients. Assessment of clinical, socio-demographic and quality of life data of the patients followed up at a Hepatology unit was performed by using a standard questionnaire and the SF-36 instrument. Psychiatric diagnoses were confirmed by using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Brazilian version 5.

A neuropsychological study comparing patients infected with HCV and HBV without psychiatric comorbidities.

Hepatitis C is one of the most common chronic infectious diseases worldwide, with well-documented extra-hepatic manifestations, such as a broad number of cognitive deficits. These impairments may be explained by psychiatric comorbidities, which have not been investigated properly in the literature. In order to elucidate a specific hepatitis C virus (HCV) induced cognitive impairment not related to mental disorders, neuropsychological performance of patients infected with HCV was compared with that of patients infected with hepatitis B virus cognitive impairment, especially psychiatric comorbidities.

The effect of early virological response in health-related quality of life in HCV-infected patients.

Twenty-nine HCV-infected patients were treated with pegylated interferon alpha. Diagnosis was based on serum HCV RNA-PCR positive results and liver biopsy. All patients had elevated serum levels of alanine aminotransferase at the time of the study, but liver disease was compensated.

High frequency of unrecognized mental disorders in HCV-infected patients.

Objective: This study indexed the frequency of psychiatric disorders among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients.

Method: HCV-infected patients treated at a university hospital in the northeastern region of Brazil were evaluated in a cross-sectional study using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview.

Results: Ninety HCV-infected outpatients were included in the study and 44 (49%) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis.

Incidence of psychiatric side effects during pegylated interferon- alpha retreatment in nonresponder hepatitis C virus-infected patients.

Objective: Evaluate the incidence of mental disorders using pegylated interferon plus ribavirin retreatment in nonresponder hepatitis C virus-infected patients.

Method: The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to evaluate 30 hepatitis C virus-infected interferon-nonresponder patients at baseline and following 4, 12 and 24 weeks of pegylated interferon retreatment.

Results: During the pegylated interferon/ribavirin retreatment, 5(16.

Psychosis during peginterferon-alpha 2a and ribavirin therapy: case report.

Pegylated Interferon-alpha, combined with ribavirin, gives high sustained virological response in patients with hepatitis C virus, an important public health problem and one of the most frequent chronic infectious diseases worldwide. Though it has therapeutic benefits, treatment with IFN-alpha may be complicated by various side effects, especially symptoms of major depression and acute mania. Psychosis is a rare side effect, and its management usually includes discontinuation of IFN-alpha.

[Validity of the hospital anxiety and depression scale in patients with chronic pain.].

Background And Objectives: Several studies suggest a strong association between anxiety and depression with chronic pain. That can be demonstrated using standard scales to detect these symptoms. The objective of this study was to determine sensibility and specificity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) in patients with chronic pain syndromes followed at the Pain Center of the Hospital Universitário Professor Edgard Santos.