title: Polyunsaturated fatty acids levels and initial presentation of somatic symptoms induced by interferon-alpha therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Somatic symptoms are common in depressive disorder and are similar to sickness behaviors due to inflammatory activation after cytokine administration. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are natural anti-inflammatory agents and may reduce inflammation-induced behavioral changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PUFAs on the development of somatic symptoms and depression in patients of hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) receiving interferon-alpha therapy (IFN-α) in a prospective manner.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this 24-week, prospective cohort study, 43 patients with chronic HCV ongoing IFN-α therapy were assessed with the mini-international neuropsychiatric interview for major depressive episodes and neurotoxicity rating scale (NRS) for somatic symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-third later developed IFN-α-induced depression (depression (DEP) group). As compared to subjects without depression, DEP group had higher NRS scores (P < 0.001), lower eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels (P = 0.038) at week 2. Somatic symptoms, regardless of painful/non-painful characteristics, had positive association with arachidonic acid (P < 0.05), and negative association with EPA (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study implies that early intervention with omega-3 PUFAs might be a promising strategy to prevent depression and somatic symptoms in patients receiving cytokine therapy.
authors.affiliation: a Graduate Institute of Neural and Cognitive Sciences , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|b School of Medicine , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|c Department of Psychiatry & Mind-Body Interface Laboratory (MBI-Lab) , China Medical University Hospital , Taichung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jane Pei-Chen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5582-0928
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: b School of Medicine , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|d Department of Hepatogastroenterology , China Medical University Hospital , Taichung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsueh-Chou
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: e Department of Nutrition , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Ting
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: b School of Medicine , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|d Department of Hepatogastroenterology , China Medical University Hospital , Taichung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Pang
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4501-2502
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: b School of Medicine , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|d Department of Hepatogastroenterology , China Medical University Hospital , Taichung , Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cheng-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: f Medical University of Łódź , Łódź , Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gałecki
authors.affiliation: f Medical University of Łódź , Łódź , Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walczewska
authors.affiliation: g Institute of Psychiatry , King's College London , UK.
authors.forename: Carmine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pariante
authors.affiliation: a Graduate Institute of Neural and Cognitive Sciences , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|b School of Medicine , China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan.|c Department of Psychiatry & Mind-Body Interface Laboratory (MBI-Lab) , China Medical University Hospital , Taichung , Taiwan.|g Institute of Psychiatry , King's College London , UK.
authors.forename: Kuan-Pin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4501-2502
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D000071896:Medically Unexplained Symptoms; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D016898:Interferon-alpha
keywords: Depression; Omega-3; PUFAs; Painful symptoms; n-3