title: Association of chronic hepatitis C with recurrent brief depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depressive syndromes, including recurrent brief depression (RBD), have frequently been observed in association with chronic diseases characterized by immune activation, such as autoimmune thyroiditis or celiac disease. However, the association of RBD with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), a disease with an increased incidence of major depressive disorders, is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  135 (83 males, 52 females) consecutive treatment-naïve patients with CHC.
  
  
  METHODS
  previous treatment with IFN-alpha, co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus, infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), drug or alcohol abuse, or malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  540 (332 males, 208 females) subjects without evidence of hepatitis, randomly extracted from the database of a previous epidemiological study. The psychiatric diagnosis was based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview Simplified (CIDI-S), containing a specific section on RBD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significantly higher rate of RBD was observed among both male and female patients with CHC (n=21, 15.5%) as compared to controls (n=34, 6.3%) (OR=2.6, CI 95% from 1.37 to 4.93).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides the first evidence of an association between CHC and RBD, independent of treatment with IFN-alpha and not influenced by substance or alcohol abuse. The results are similar to those found in other conditions with immune activation. RBD may be another expression of mood disorders in such conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Cagliari, Italy. mgcarta@tiscali.it
authors.forename: Mauro G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Carta
authors.forename: Jules
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Angst
authors.forename: Maria Francesca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: Gioia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mura
authors.forename: Maria Carolina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hardoy
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Balestrieri
authors.forename: Luchino
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chessa
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Maria Eliana
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farci
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012008:Recurrence