title: Relationships between quantitative electroencephalographic alterations and the severity of hepatitis C based on liver biopsy in interferon-alpha treated patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have observed alterations of quantitative (q)-EEG findings occurring in interferon (IFN)-alpha treated chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) patients, and found patient's age to be one factor influencing such EEG alterations. In the present study we evaluated the correlation between q-EEG alterations during IFN-alpha treatment and the severity of hepatitis based on liver biopsies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 102 CH-C patients underwent blind, prospective and serial q-EEG examinations. The IFN-alpha was administered under the same therapeutic regimen to all patients. Serial EEGs were obtained before, at 2 and 4 weeks, and at 2-3 days after the conclusion of treatment. The absolute powers of each frequency band in different periods were determined by q-EEG. Staging (of fibrosis) and grading (of inflammatory cell infiltration) were scaled according to Desmet's classification. We evaluated the relationship between q-EEG and scales of staging or grading.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age distributions did not differ significantly among stages or grades. As the stage or grade increased, the alterations of EEG during IFN-alpha treatment became more pronounced, and significant (repeated-measures analysis of variances; both, p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alterations of the EEG occurring during IFN-alpha treatment became pronounced with more severe pathological findings for CH-C. Alterations in the EEGs during IFN-alpha treatment should be carefully monitored in CH-C patients with severe pathological findings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University Itabashi Hospital, Tokyo. skamei@med.nihon-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Naohide
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuura
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsukawa
authors.forename: Tomohiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizutani
authors.forename: Teiichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oga
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohkubo
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Kaname
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirayanagi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016037:Single-Blind Method
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha