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Emotional Distress During Interferon--2B and Ribavirin Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C

Received July 2, 2001; revision received Jan. 24, 2002; accepted Feb. 13, 2002. From the Departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry and the Consortium for Health Outcomes Innovation and Cost-Effectiveness Studies, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor. Address reprint requests to Dr. Fontana, 3912 Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0362; rfontana{at}umich.edu (e-mail).

The aim of the study was to describe the use of the Brief Symptom Inventory in characterizing the type and severity of emotional distress in 26 patients with chronic hepatitis C who were receiving interferon--2B and ribavirin. The 6-month actuarial incidence of neuropsychiatric toxicity, determined by physician interview, was 58%. Significant differences in mean depression, anxiety, and somatization Brief Symptom Inventory T scores were noted in the 15 patients with clinically apparent neuropsychiatric toxicity compared to the 11 patients without neuropsychiatric toxicity. Because of its brevity and simplicity, the Brief Symptom Inventory may prove to be a useful adjunct to clinician assessment in detecting and monitoring emotional distress during interferon- treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

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