Depression and Fatigue: Challenging Comorbidities in HCV-Infected Patients

摘要

Depression and fatigue are two of the most common problems reported by patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The evaluation of these symptoms has become standard care, especially when considering treatment with antiviral therapy. Moreover, depression and fatigue are frequent side effects of antiviral therapy, which is usually a combination of pegylated interferon-a (IFN-a) and ribavirin (RBV). In the following review, we discuss the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and management of depression and fatigue, as well as their relationship to overall quality of life (QOL) and HCV disease management. Information about special populations and directions for future research also are addressed.