title: Major depressive episode with psychotic features induced by pegylated interferon-alpha-2b and ribavirin treatment.
abstract: Recent evidence has demonstrated the efficacy of pegylated interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in treating hepatitis C virus infection. Neuropsychiatric complications commonly occur during the course of IFN treatment, with depressive symptoms usually appearing within the first 12 weeks. Few cases of the pegylated interferon-alpha-induced psychosis and depression have been reported compared to standard interferon-alpha therapy. We report the first case of a major depressive episode with psychotic features induced by pegylated IFN-alpha-2b and ribavirin in the last 2 weeks of therapy.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. sanjeevsockalingam@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sanjeev
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sockalingam
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000523:psychology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a