TY - JOUR
T1 - Depression during interferon therapy for chronic viral hepatitis
T2 - Early identification of patients at risk by means of a computerized test
AU - Scalori, Astrid
AU - Apale, Paolo
AU - Panizzuti, Fabio
AU - Mascoli, Nerina
AU - Pioltelli, Pietro
AU - Pozzi, Massimo
AU - Redaelli, Alessandro
AU - Roffi, Luigi
AU - Mancia, Giuseppe
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Objectives. At the doses used for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, interferon (IFN)-related side-effects are usually modest, even though in some cases they require the interruption of therapy. Neuropsychiatric disturbances that range from modest depression and irritability to forms of manic-depressive psychosis and attempted or successful suicides are among the most important side-effects. The aim of our study was to determine whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is a sensitive and reliable test for the early identification of patients at risk of depression before IFN therapy is commenced, and whether it could be useful for the monitoring of these patients during treatment. Methods. We prospectively studied 67 patients with chronic active liver diseases, consecutively enrolled in open studies and treated with r-IFNα2. Before starting therapy and after 3 months of treatment, all patients underwent a clinical neurological evaluation and MMPI. Results. At baseline, the correlation between the clinical evaluation and the score of the depression scale of the MMPI was statistically significant (P <0.0001). Nine of 14 (64.3%) patients with a baseline score ≥ 60/100 showed a depressive mood after 3 months of therapy. Five of 44 patients (11.3%) with a baseline score <60/100 showed a depression of medium level after 3 months of treatment. This difference was highly significant (P <0.0001). Conclusions. According to our results, the MMPI is a reliable and sensitive test for the early identification of patients at risk of depression before and during IFN therapy for chronic viral liver diseases. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
AB - Objectives. At the doses used for the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis, interferon (IFN)-related side-effects are usually modest, even though in some cases they require the interruption of therapy. Neuropsychiatric disturbances that range from modest depression and irritability to forms of manic-depressive psychosis and attempted or successful suicides are among the most important side-effects. The aim of our study was to determine whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is a sensitive and reliable test for the early identification of patients at risk of depression before IFN therapy is commenced, and whether it could be useful for the monitoring of these patients during treatment. Methods. We prospectively studied 67 patients with chronic active liver diseases, consecutively enrolled in open studies and treated with r-IFNα2. Before starting therapy and after 3 months of treatment, all patients underwent a clinical neurological evaluation and MMPI. Results. At baseline, the correlation between the clinical evaluation and the score of the depression scale of the MMPI was statistically significant (P <0.0001). Nine of 14 (64.3%) patients with a baseline score ≥ 60/100 showed a depressive mood after 3 months of therapy. Five of 44 patients (11.3%) with a baseline score <60/100 showed a depression of medium level after 3 months of treatment. This difference was highly significant (P <0.0001). Conclusions. According to our results, the MMPI is a reliable and sensitive test for the early identification of patients at risk of depression before and during IFN therapy for chronic viral liver diseases. (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
KW - Chronic viral hepatitis
KW - Depression
KW - Interferon
KW - MMPI
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M3 - Article
C2 - 10833092
AN - SCOPUS:0034035903
VL - 12
SP - 505
EP - 509
JO - European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
JF - European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology
SN - 0954-691X
IS - 5
ER -