PSYCHIATRIC MANIFESTATIONS ACCOMPANYING INTERFERON THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C - AN OVERVIEW OF CASES IN JAPAN

Thirty case reports published in Japan that refer to psychiatric sympt oms accompanying interferon (IFN) therapy were examined. These papers covered a total of 49 cases. We categorized these 49 cases into 35 cas es of mood disorder, 10 of delirium and four of psychotic disorder. Th e key findings of our study of these cases are as follows: (i) in tota l, 11 patients had psychiatric past histories: five patients in the mo od disorders group were susceptible to the influence of social or psyc hological factors; (ii) whereas the symptoms of mood disorder or delir ium appeared soon after IFN was administered, the symptoms of psychoti c ic disorders appeared later. The patients with delirium displayed ma ny neurological abnormalities, which were reduced by suspending IFN th erapy. This suggests the neurological toxicity of IFN; (iii) the outco me of most patients was good; and (iv) we suspect that IFN-induced psy chiatric symptoms other than delirium are connected with psychoneuroim munological functions.