Myeloproliferative disorder therapy: assessment and management of adverse events—a psychiatrist's perspective

Abstract

Chronic diseases such as the myeloproliferative disorders may mask a worsening emotional state in patients, which can be exacerbated by the addition of common treatments such as interferon-alpha. Management of mood disturbances is best considered from the first consultation, as the negative impact of impaired emotional well-being on physiological outcomes is well established in literature. It is therefore important for physicians to be mindful of their patients' emotional well-being from the point of diagnosis and throughout therapy, and aware of the tendency for physicians to focus on the primary illness. The advice of a psychiatrist may prove useful when discussing management strategies for patients with identifiable mood disturbances.