Sleep Disorders in People with Hepatitis C

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http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/hep_c/news/2010/010810_c.html

Sleep Disorders in People with Hepatitis C

SUMMARY: Nearly two-thirds of people with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)

infection may experience sleep disturbances, and those treated with

interferon-based therapy may develop insomnia and other sleep-related problems

as side effects, according to a review article published in the January 2009

Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology.

By Liz Highleyman

Sanjeev Sockalingam from the University of Toronto and colleagues noted that

sleep disturbances occur in up to 60% of patients with chronic hepatitis C, and

are often related to co-existing psychiatric conditions such as depression.

Moreover, they added, neuropsychiatric complications of interferon alfa -- which

can cause depression, anxiety, and other symptoms -- may manifest as sleep

problems. Newly diagnosed sleep disturbances occur in up to 30% of

interferon-treated patients, the authors estimated.

Since insomnia in people with chronic hepatitis C may be influenced by a variety

of comorbidities -- both psychiatric (such as depression) and medical (such as

anemia or hypothyroidism) -- it is important to screen patients for other

conditions that might be contributing to the problem.

Given the lack of specific sleep studies in this population, treatment

recommendations for people with HCV are derived from general sleep disorder

treatment guidelines. Thus, Sockalingam and colleagues concluded, " Further

research is needed to elucidate the efficacy of pharmacological and

non-pharmacological treatments of sleep disorders in chronic hepatitis C

patients. "

Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; Division of Medical, Illness

and Mental Health, University Health Network; Head, Multi-Organ Transplantation

Psychosocial Program, University Health Network; University of Toronto, Toronto,

Ontario, Canada; King Saud University, Saudi Arabia; Institute of Behavioral

Sciences and 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Semmelweis University,

Budapest, Hungary.

1/08/10

Reference

S Sockalingam, SE Abbey, F Alosaimi, and others. A Review of Sleep Disturbance

in Hepatitis C. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology 44(1): 38-45 (Abstract).

January 2009.