Prevalence of liver disease in veterans with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of three liver diseases [hepatitis C virus (HCV), nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and alcohol-induced cirrhosis] in patients (veterans) with/without schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder.

Methods: A retrospective electronic chart review of Veterans Integrated Services Network 20 facilities from January 1, 2001 to December 21, 2006 selected patients to one of two groups: schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder. Patients in both groups were compared with veterans in an equal-sized random sample from the same data set of veterans without psychiatric diagnoses.

Psychiatric and substance use disorders comorbidities in veterans with hepatitis C virus and HIV coinfection.

Purpose Of Review: A growing number of veterans in the Veterans Health Administration are coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus. This review covers timely research relative to comorbid conditions that are common in this population including psychiatric diagnoses, substance use disorders and neurocognitive problems.

Recent Findings: Current literature on the psychiatric, substance use disorders and cognitive problems of the coinfected population show that not only are rates of morbidity higher in the coinfected population but that this affects antiviral treatments as well.