[Attention abnormalities in patients with chronic hepatitis C after pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin treatment].
OBJECTIVE
To (a) describe the influence of peg-IFNalpha 2a and 2b on attention processes and (b) to assess whether attention abnormalities induced by peg-IFNalpha/RBW resolve 8 weeks after treatment discontinuation in chronic hepatitis C patients.


METHODS
26 chronic hepatitis C patients treated with peg-IFNalpha2a (n=18) or 2b (n=8) and RBV were enrolled in the study. Attention processes were tested three times: before the beginning (t=0), after 12 weeks of medication (t=1) and 8 weeks after treatment discontinuation (t=2). Attention was assessed with Brickenkamp d2 test and the results were compared in groups of patients treated with different kinds of peg-IFNalpha.


RESULTS
The two kinds of peg-IFNalpha did not differ significantly regarding the influence on attention processes. 8 weeks after treatment discontinuation (t=2) there was observed a significant decrease all aspects of attention measured by d2 test, i.e. work accuracy, speed of processing and ability to focus attention comparing with t=0 and t=1.


CONCLUSIONS
Peg-IFNalpha/RBW therapy is connected with a decrease in attention processes performance and the two kinds of peg-interferon alpha (2a and 2b) may exert a similar influence. Attention dysfunction did not resolve 8 weeks after treatment discontinuation and may be the irreversible effect of the dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex or anterior cingulate cortex damage.
Pawełczyk
Tomasz
T
Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi, Klinika Zaburzeń Afektywnych i Psychotycznych. tpawelczyk@csk.umed.lodz.pl
Białkowska
Jolanta
J
Jabłkowski
Maciej
M
Pawełczyk
Agnieszka
A
Strzelecki
Dominik
D
Rabe-Jabłonska
Jolanta
J
Dworniak
Daniela
D
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage
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