Sleep
Disorders in People with Hepatitis C
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| 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. |
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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.
