title: Hypomanic mood in a child patient treated with interferon-alpha 2a: case report.
abstract: We report on a male child born in Rumania, adopted by an Italian family, and who at 10 years of age was submitted to interferon-alpha 2a therapy for chronic hepatitis B. About 30 days after the beginning of the treatment he developed hypomanic mood and psychogenic seizures. Psychological evaluation showed hyperactivity, distractibility, excessive talkativeness, grandiosity and racing thoughts. Temperamental traits were characterized by an elevated emotionality. The patient was successfully administered risperidone and cognitive-behavioral therapy; six months of treatment with interferon led to positive outcome of hepatitis B. Since affective symptoms may occur in children treated with IFN, a careful evaluation of psychiatric disturbances and adequate intervention are needed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Department of Pediatrics, University of Catania,Via S. Sofia, 78, 95123 Catania, Italy. mazzone@unict.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzone
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mugno
mesh_terms: D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016898:Interferon-alpha