Interferon \u3b1 therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection: Quality of life and depression

Health-related quality of life was examined in 49 patients with hepatitis C virus with no psychiatric history who received interferon (IFN)-\u3b1 treatment. Quality of life was assessed at baseline, at 3-time points during IFN-\u3b1 therapy and at 1-6 month follow-up, using SF-36. Hepatitis C virus patients showed poorer physical functioning and better social and mental functioning than a normal population. Significant decreases from baseline SF- 36 scores were observed at an early phase of treatment. Six patients developed major depression during IFN-\u3b1 treatment. At baseline, they had reported more bodily pain than patients who did not develop depression during treatment. Planned contrasts revealed that worsening in some dimensions of quality of life at 2 months was greater in depressed than in non-depressed patients. Results suggest that depressive symptoms should be accurately monitored during IFN-\u3b1 therapy even in patients with no psychiatric history, especially if they present with bodily pain

Impairment of quality of life associated with lifetime diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder in women-a national survey in italy

Introduction: The aim of the study was to measure the lifetime prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among women of an Italian community sample, the comorbidity of PTSD with mood and anxiety disorders and the burden attributable to PTSD in worsening the Quality of Life (QoL). Methods: Community survey on a sample of 1961 adult women randomly selected. Tools: psychiatric clinical interview ANTAS partially derived from the SCID-DSM-IV, administered by psychologists or medical doctors; Short Form Health Survey (SF-12); Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ). Results: Lifetime prevalence of PTSD in women was 1.3%, (1.4% in<45 years aged, 1.3% in >44 years aged; p=0.8). In order of risk of comorbidity, PTSD was associated with: Bipolar Spectrum Disorders (MDQ+), Panic Disorders (PD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). People with PTSD showed an SF-12 mean score lower than women of the same sample without PTSD (standardized by gender and age), with a mean difference (attributable burden) of 3.9±0.9 similarly to MDD and Eating Disorders and higher than PD. Among the analyzed nonpsychiatric diseases, Multiple Sclerosis and Carotid Atherosclerosis showed a higher burden in impairing QoL than PTSD; Wilson’s Disease showed a similar burden and Celiac Disease was found less impairing on QoL than PTSD. Conclusion: The attributable burden in worsening women’ perceived QoL due to a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD was found comparable to those caused by MDD, Eating Disorders or by neurological condition such as Wilson’s Disease. The comorbidity of PTSD with Bipolar Spectrum Disorders was remarkable, even further studies are needed to clarify the direction of causality