Cognitive function, mood and health‐related quality of life in hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐monoinfected and HIV/HCV‐coinfected individuals commencing HCV treatment*

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine cognitive function, mood and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and their interrelationships, among hepatitis C virus (HCV)-monoinfected and HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals. Baseline neuropsychological and HRQOL measures of HCV-monoinfected and HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals commencing HCV treatment were examined from a prospective cohort study conducted between April 2003 and August 2005 in Sydney, Australia. Participants' neuropsychological performance and HRQOL were measured using computer-based battery, Trail Making Tests (TMT), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), the Hepatitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (HQLQ), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Neuropsychological measures of HCV-infected patient groups were compared with those of two control groups consisting of HIV-monoinfected and uninfected individuals. Similar cognitive function, mood and HRQOL were found in HCV-monoinfected (n=19) and HIV/HCV-coinfected (n=15) individuals. When compared with the HIV-monoinfected (n=30) and uninfected control (n=30) groups, subtle cognitive impairment in attention was found in the HIV/HCV-coinfected group (P<0.05). Twenty-one percent of the HCV-monoinfected group were classified as having cognitive impairment compared with 10% or less in the other groups. Sociodemographic characteristics, mood, HRQOL and HCV indices did not correlate with cognitive function. Our findings indicate no statistically significant difference in neuropsychological and HRQOL impairments between HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals with nonadvanced HIV disease and HCV-monoinfected individuals. This lack of significant difference may relate to the relatively small study population.