Clinical Study

Sustained Virological Response in the Antiviral Therapy of Chronic Hepatitis C: Is There a Predictive Value of Interferon-Induced Depression?
Arne Schäfer^a, Michael Scheurlen^a, Benedikt Weissbrich^b, Katrin Schöttker^a, Michael R. Kraus<sup>a

a</sup>Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II and
^bInstitute for Virology and Immunobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Chemotherapy 2007;53:292-299 (DOI: 10.1159/000102584)

  Key Words

• Hepatitis C
• Depression
• Sustained virological response
• Binary logistic regression

  Abstract

Background: The study objective was to determine the contribution of cytokine-induced depression to a predictive model of sustained virological response (SVR) in chronic hepatitis C. Methods: One hundred and one therapy-naïve hepatitis C virus (HCV) outpatients received treatment with peginterferon alfa-2b and ribavirin. Neuropsychiatric side effects were monitored prospectively (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, DSM-IV criteria for major depression). SVR was defined as a failure to detect HCV by PCR 24 weeks after therapy. Results: SVR rate was 72.3% (73 of 101 patients). Classification data and the extent of interferon-induced depression were not significantly linked to SVR. Virus genotype (p = 0.045) and gender (p = 0.016) contributed significantly to a logistic regression model. Mean (p = 0.811) and maximum (p = 0.744) depression increases were no significant predictors of SVR. Major depression rates (DSM-IV criteria) were 12.3% (9 of 73 patients) in the subgroup with SVR and 10.7% (3 of 28) in patients without SVR. Conclusions: We found no significant association between depression and the efficacy of antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C. Interferon-induced depressive symptoms are important to be monitored and treated if necessary; however, they cannot be used to predict therapy success.

Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Michael R. Kraus, MD, PhD
Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, University of Würzburg
Klinikstrasse 6-8, DE-97070 Würzburg (Germany)
Tel. +49 931 201 70170, Fax +49 931 201 70680
E-Mail kraus_m@klinik.uni-wuerzburg.de

  Article Information

Received: February 3, 2005
Accepted after revision: May 8, 2006
Published online: May 10, 2007
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 27