Abstract
Background: Psychiatric disturbances in chronic HCV infected patients under treatment by
Pegylated-interferon and ribavirin combined therapy (PEG-IFN/Rib)still show worldwide
controversy and no sufficient studies address this problem in Upper Egypt.Aim of the study: to
detect the pattern and prevalence of psychiatric disturbances in chronic HCV infected (CHC)
patientsunderPEG-IFN/Rib and the risk factors for these disturbances. Patients and methods: 167
CHCpatients were recruitedfrom the virology clinic in Sohag University Hospital between
November2012 and January 2015; 100 cases of them completed the study. Patients were
assessed generally and psychologically before initiation and after 12 weeks of therapy using
Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview
version 5 (MINI), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating
Scale (HAM-A) , and The Structured Interview for the Five-Factor Model (SIFFM)
scales.Results: Major depressive disorder (MDD) was the only detected syndrome based on
MINI in 35% of cases; but significant subsyndromal depression were detected in further 43% of
cases by HAMD, & significant anxiety changes from base lineHAMA results(differences in
mean= -4.620±3.902, P<0.001) with further detected significant increase in somatization,
interpersonal sensitivity & Hostility by SCL90-R,in addition to depression and anxiety domains.
Suicide risks were low, with no case stopped treatment. Age (more elderly), past history and
family History of Psychiatric disorders, pre-treatment basal depressive symptoms, anxiety score,
somatization score & Hostility scores were a significant predictors for occurrence of
MDD.Conclusions:Depression And anxiety are the main disturbances after 12wks of PEGINF/
Rib therapy.Pretreatment screening for depressive symptoms, past & family history of
psychiatric illness will help to identify those at high risk of MDD under IFN based therapy fo