The Severity of Depressive Symptoms as an Independent Predictor of Sustained Virological Response During Treatment of Hepatitis C With Pegylated Interferon-α2a and Oral Ribavirin

Abstract

Objective Sustained virologic response (SVR) is the best indicator of successful therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Patients with chronic HCV infection treated with pegylated interferon-alfa and ribavirin (PEG-IFN-α /RBV) can achieve SVR 56% of the time. Objectives. To evaluate baseline predictors of SVR in patients treated with PEG-IFN-α /RBV for HCV chronic infection. Methods A total of 101 patients receiving PEG-IFN-α/RBV for chronic HCV infection participated in the prospective cohort study. Symptoms of depression were assessed with the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) before the treatment. The multivariate regression analysis was applied to determine predictors of SVR. Results Out of a total of 101 patients included, 99 patients reached the primary end-point – 24 weeks after completing treatment. After the initial analysis of probable predictive variables, the logistic analysis included: age, sex, HCV genetic type, MADRS score. The HCV genotype, OR = 0.22 (CI 0.073 – 0.68, p = 0.008) and MADRS score, OR = 0.88 (CI 0.80 – 0.98), p = 0.013) predicted a SVR outcome. Conclusions The severity of depressive symptoms before treatment and HCV genotype are independent predictors of SVR.