Sleep Disorders in People with Hepatitis C

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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.

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

ReferenceS 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.

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