title: [Escitalopram for intervention of psychiatric adverse events during peginterferon-alfa-2a and ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the risk factors of psychiatric adverse events associated with PEG interferon and ribavirin treatment for chronic hepatitis C and assess the efficacy of escitalopram intervention for these adverse effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing interferon-based treatment for 12 weeks were assessed for major depression using DSM-IV and SCL-90, and the patients identified to have major depression received escitalopram treatment for intervention. SCL-90 was used to assess the psychological condition of the patients at the forth and eighth weeks of escitalopram treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A male gender, 1b genotype, and intravenous infection are all risk factors of major depression. The morbidity rate of interferon-based depression was 32.2% with rates of hostility, anxiety, depression and sensitivity of 19.7%, 9.2%, and 5.26%, respectively. The total score of SCL-90 and scores for hostility, anxiety, depression and sensitivity all significantly declined after escitalopram treatment in the 19 patients with major depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological symptoms are common in HCV patients receiving interferon treatment, for whom regular psychological assessment is essential especially for those patients with drug abuse. Prompt use of escitalopram is recommended for effective control of major depression or other psychological symptoms in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. qimh@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Minghua
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Meilei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jiyang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015283:Citalopram; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a