Blinded, prospective, and serial evaluation by quantitative-EEG in interferon-alpha-treated hepatitis-C.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the effect of brain function due to IFN-alpha in chronic hepatitis C patients by the quantitative EEG.


METHODS
56 chronic hepatitis C patients were administered IFN-alpha intramuscularly at 9x10(6) IU daily for the first 4 weeks and then 3 times/week for the next 20 weeks. Serial EEGs were obtained in each subject before, at 2 and 4 weeks, and after completing the treatment. Resting EEG without artifacts was selected for quantitative EEG analysis, which was performed blindly. The frequency range was divided into delta to beta. The absolute and relative powers of each frequency band in each subject were calculated and the differences of these powers at different stages were analyzed statistically.


RESULTS
The absolute powers of slow waves (delta, theta 1, and theta 2) increased while alpha 2 and fast wave (beta) decreased significantly at all locations during IFN-alpha administration. The total power and alpha 1 values revealed no significant alterations. The relative power revealed the same alteration during treatment. These changes disappeared following the treatment. Such diffuse slowing in the EEG was revealed by the total change in the whole subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Diffuse slowing in the EEG was induced by IFN-alpha, was reversible, and was evident as the total change in the subjects. These findings suggested mild IFN-alpha-induced encephalopathy.
Kamei
S
S
Department of Neurology, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Tanaka
N
N
Mastuura
M
M
Arakawa
Y
Y
Kojima
T
T
Matsukawa
Y
Y
Takasu
T
T
Moriyama
M
M
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha