title: Sustained virological response in the antiviral therapy of chronic hepatitis C: is there a predictive value of interferon-induced depression?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study objective was to determine the contribution of cytokine-induced depression to a predictive model of sustained virological response (SVR) in chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and one therapy-naïve hepatitis C virus (HCV) outpatients received treatment with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin. Neuropsychiatric side effects were monitored prospectively (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, DSM-IV criteria for major depression). SVR was defined as a failure to detect HCV by PCR 24 weeks after therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SVR rate was 72.3% (73 of 101 patients). Classification data and the extent of interferon-induced depression were not significantly linked to SVR. Virus genotype (p = 0.045) and gender (p = 0.016) contributed significantly to a logistic regression model. Mean (p = 0.811) and maximum (p = 0.744) depression increases were no significant predictors of SVR. Major depression rates (DSM-IV criteria) were 12.3% (9 of 73 patients) in the subgroup with SVR and 10.7% (3 of 28) in patients without SVR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no significant association between depression and the efficacy of antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C. Interferon-induced depressive symptoms are important to be monitored and treated if necessary; however, they cannot be used to predict therapy success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Wurzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheurlen
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weissbrich
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schöttker
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kraus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b