title: Psychosis during peginterferon-alpha 2a and ribavirin therapy: case report.
abstract: 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. We report a case of psychotic disorder that occurred during therapy with pegylated Interferon-alpha given associated with ribavirin. After good response to psychiatric treatment, it became possible to finish the anti-viral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychiatry Department, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA, Brazil. lcq@ufba.br
authors.forename: Lucas C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Quarantini
authors.forename: Simone Cunha
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Susana Carolina
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Batista-Neves
authors.forename: Raymundo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paraná
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miranda-Scippa
authors.forename: Rodrigo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bressan
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D018967:Risperidone; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a