Incidence of psychiatric side effects during pegylated interferon- alpha retreatment in nonresponder hepatitis C virus-infected patients.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate the incidence of mental disorders using pegylated interferon plus ribavirin retreatment in nonresponder hepatitis C virus-infected patients.


METHODS
The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to evaluate 30 hepatitis C virus-infected interferon-nonresponder patients at baseline and following 4, 12 and 24 weeks of pegylated interferon retreatment.


RESULTS
During the pegylated interferon/ribavirin retreatment, 5(16.6%) patients developed psychiatric side effects: 3(10%) were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 1(3.3%) had a brief psychotic disorder and 1(3.3%) presented with panic attacks.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first prospective study evaluating the incidence of neuropsychiatric side effects during interferon retreatment of hepatitis C virus-infected patients, suggesting that the risk of acquiring serious psychiatric symptoms during retreatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) may not be higher than during the first antiviral therapy. This finding challenges the hypothesis that during a second treatment with IFN-alpha, patients with hepatitis C may be at greater risk for neuropsychiatric side effects than naïve patients.
Quarantini
Lucas C
LC
University Hospital, Federal University of Bahia School of Medicine, Salvador-Bahia, Brazil. lcq@ufba.br
Bressan
Rodrigo A
RA
Galvão
Amanda
A
Batista-Neves
Susana
S
Paraná
Raymundo
R
Miranda-Scippa
Angela
A
D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a