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Back to Archived Journals » International Journal of Interferon, Cytokine and Mediator Research » Volume 4
Depression and pegylated interferon-based hepatitis C treatment
Authors Papafragkakis H, Rao M , Moehlen M, Dhillon S, Martin P
Received 5 December 2011
Accepted for publication 24 January 2012
Published 28 March 2012 Volume 2012:4 Pages 25—35
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJICMR.S28901
Review by Single anonymous peer review
Peer reviewer comments 2
Haris Papafragkakis1, Murali S Rao2, Martin Moehlen3, Sonu Dhillon4, Paul Martin1
1Division of Hepatology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, 3Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 4Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, St Francis Medical Center, Peoria, IL, USA
Abstract: Interferon remains an essential component of treatment regimens for chronic hepatitis C infection. Mood disturbances, including depression, are relatively common in the hepatitis C virus-infected population and may worsen during hepatitis C treatment. Screening for depression prior to commencement of therapy is crucial and may improve treatment outcomes. Whether prophylactic antidepressant therapy should be initiated prior to therapy of hepatitis C virus infection with an interferon-based regimen remains unclear. We review the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of depression before and during treatment of hepatitis C virus infection with interferon.
Keywords: pegylated interferon, hepatitis C, depression, suicide risk, cytokines
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