Known risk factors don't preclude interferon use for chronic hepatitis C.

2003 OCT 2 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Known risk factors don't preclude interferon use for chronic hepatitis C.

"At this moment of new therapeutic protocols and the possibility of curing HCV infections, it is of utmost importance to widen antiviral treatment in many indications, to upgrade compliance, and to limit therapeutic discontinuations. Depressive disorders are probably the main reason for failure of this treatment The lack of knowledge about depressive disorders and the little specialized psychiatric accompaniment in this field are obviously not beneficial for the patient and his disease (no access to interferon alpha therapy, poor compliance, frequent discontinuations of treatment)," scientists in France report.

"Twenty-four patients (15 men and 9 women) treated by interferon alpha and having a major depressive episode (MDE) (according to the DSM IV) and who were about to discontinue their treatment had a emergency consultation with the psychiatrist of the network who took them immediately in charge in the most adapted way (psychotropic therapy, psychotherapy, hospitalization...) as well as a long term specialized follow up (up to several months after the treatment was discontinued)."

"From this follow up and based on a retrospective questionnaire proposed to the patients, we have thought about the existence and the relevance of the risk factors of the appearance of MDE under interferon alpha (personal antecedents of depression, of suicide attempts, of antiviral treatment discontinuations, of the drug addiction induced contamination...) and about the major interest of a psychiatric accompaniment within an organized network," wrote J.P.H. Lang and colleagues, Praticien Hospital, Psychiatry Service.

"Among the 29 patients regularly followed during and after the antiviral therapy, 23 (79.3 %) received a psychotropic treatment adapted to the clinical situation (82.6 % of initially prescribed antidepressants have not been modified) associated with the psychotherapy, 4 (13.7 %) were hospitalized in the psychiatric ward where the network psychiatrist works, one attempted to commit suicide without associated depression disorders (hospitalization, no discontinuation of antiviral therapy)."

"More than 90 % of patients were able to complete treatment. However, 7 patients (24.1 %) had a MDE within the 3 months following treatments (5 patients consulted after their treatment discontinuations even though this treatment was well tolerated and efficient). The ...