Spotlight on some psychiatric aspects of hepatitis-C virus patients

Abstract

Background Hepatitis C viral infection is one of the most burdensome diseases affecting 2–3% of the world population. At least 50% of patients infected with HCV suffer from one psychiatric illness.Aim The aim was to evaluate some psychiatric aspects and life quality in cirrhotic and noncirrhotic hepatitis-C virus (HCV) cases.Patients and methods A case–control study in the Neuropsychiatry Department and Internal Medicine Department in Tanta University Hospital. Patients were divided into 50 cirrhotic HCV patients (group I), 50 noncirrhotic HCV patients, both were nonmedicated (group II), and 30 healthy controls (group III). We used Child–Turcotte–Pugh, Beck Depression Inventory, Taylor’s Manifest Anxiety Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Liver Disease Symptom Index 2.Results Beck Depression Inventory showed a statistically significant higher percentage of mild and moderate depressed patients in patient groups (groups I and II) than the control group (group III), unlike between patient groups. Educational level was found to be significant in comparison between depressed and nondepressed groups. Taylor’s Manifest Anxiety Scale showed mild and moderate anxiety high percentage in patient groups (groups I and II) than the control group (group III) and this difference was of statistical significance, unlike between patient groups. Mini-Mental State Examination revealed mild cognitive impairment of high percentage in patient groups (groups I and II) than the control group (group III) and this difference of statistical significance, unlike between patient groups. Liver Disease Symptom Index 2 showed strong affection of health-related quality of life in patient groups.Conclusion Psychiatric disorders can occur frequently in HCV patients, with a higher incidence of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. All these psychiatric disorders were found in both cirrhotic and noncirrhotic patients. Also, health-related quality of life was affected in such patients markedly independent of the stage of liver disease.