Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Depression

Clin Liver Dis. 2017 Aug;21(3):517-534. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2017.03.007. Epub 2017 Apr 25.

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a systemic disease with hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations, including neuropsychiatric conditions. Depression is a frequent disorder, which has been reported in one-third of patients with HCV infection and has an estimated prevalence of 1.5 to 4.0 times higher than that observed in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection or the general population. HCV seems to play a direct and indirect role in the development of depression. Impaired quality of life and increasing health care costs have been reported for patients with HCV infection with depression. Treatment-induced HCV clearance has been associated with improvement of depression and quality of life.

Keywords: Depression; HCV; Quality of life.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Central Nervous System / metabolism
  • Central Nervous System / virology*
  • Depression / drug therapy
  • Depression / epidemiology*
  • Depression / metabolism
  • Depression / virology*
  • Hepacivirus
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / immunology
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / metabolism
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Quality of Life*

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Antiviral Agents