Pharmacopsychiatry 2000; 33(2): 72-74
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-8450
Short Communication
Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ·New York

Schizophrenic Psychosis: A Contraindication for Treatment of Hepatitis C with Interferon Alpha?

M. Dobmeier1 , E. Frick2 , S. Frank3 , C. Franke3 , M. Wolfersdorf3
  • 1Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Regensburg (Director: Prof Dr. med. H. Klein), Regensburg, Germany
  • 2Bezirkskrankenhaus Bayreuth, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Director: Prof Dr. med. M. Wolfersdorf), Bayreuth, Germany
  • 3Department of Internal Medicine, University of Regensburg (Director: Prof. Dr. med. J. Schölmerich), Regensburg, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

Depressive or psychotic symptoms are a well known side-effect of interferon alpha (INF-a). Therefore, the questions arises whether a chronic psychosis should be considered a contraindication for the treatment of active hepatitis C with INF-α. We report on a 38-year-old woman with a chronic schizophrenic psychosis, who acquired chronic aggressive hepatitis C. Considering the young age of the woman, the potential risk of developing a hepatocellular carcinoma and the result of the liver biopsy, treatment with interferon alpha 2 b (3 × 5 million IU/week) was started. The patient was seen three times a week, her psychiatric condition was monitored using the positive and negative symptoms score (PANSS). No signs of psychotic or depressive symptoms appeared during INF-α therapy. During the first 6 months the liver enzymes dropped slowly but the virus load was increasing. After adding ribavirin to the therapy, the liver enzymes dropped again, and the PCR carried out 9 months after initiation and 6 months after the end of the 12 months INF-α treatment did not detect any virus RNA. This positive result should encourage prospective studies including patients with these two diagnoses on whether patients benefit from INF-α.

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Dr. med. Matthias Dobmeier

Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie der Universität Regensburg Bezirksklinikum Regensburg

Universitätsstraße 84

D-93042 Regensburg

Germany

Email: matthias.dobmeier@bzk.uni-regensburg.de