Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With HCV Cured of Infection

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With HCV Cured of Infection


Disabling chronic fatigue is reported in approximately 60% of patients with confirmed hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection,1,2 as well as decreased quality of life (QoL)3,4 and cognitive dysfunction (eg, deficits in attention and verbal learning).5,6 While these neuropsychiatric symptoms may be expected in patients with ongoing HCV infection, it is questionable whether these effects are also present in HCV-exposed patients who currently are cured of the infection (polymerase chain reaction-negative [PCR-]).

A study7 recently published in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis found no evidence linking the presence of HCV infection with these neuropsychiatric symptoms. Instead, researchers suggest that the fatigue and impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cognitive and mental function commonly found in HCV-exposed patients may be explained by either an HCV infection-triggered autoimmune response persisting beyond virus clearance or the development of a virus variant in the brain.7

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