The effect of pegylated interferon-alpha2b and ribavirin on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.
BACKGROUND
Patients with chronic psychiatric diagnoses have a prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) approximately 11 times higher than the general American population. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is particularly common among HCV patients.


OBJECTIVE
The authors describe the effect of treatment with pegylated-interferon-alpha(2b) (IFN) and ribavirin for patients with HCV on their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.


METHODS
Sixteen patients with HCV and combat-related PTSD were followed for 24 weeks and assessed with self-report measures of PTSD, hostility, and depression.


RESULTS
Depression and Resentment scores significantly increased in five patients treated with IFN and ribavirin, but no significant differences were found in PTSD scores when compared with 11 control patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that patients with PTSD and HCV can be safely treated with anti-viral therapies when they are given appropriate psychiatric care.
Dieperink
Eric
E
Dept. of Psychiatry and the Hepatitis C Resource Center at the VA Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. Eric.Dieperink@med.va.gov
Leskela
Jennie
J
Dieperink
Michael E
ME
Evans
Blake
B
Thuras
Paul
P
Ho
Samuel B
SB
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b