Consultation-liaison psychiatry and the management of hepatitis

High rates of hepatitis are reported in patients with psychiatric illnesses particularly in those with co-morbid substance use disorders. The current recommended treatment for hepatitis C is pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin therapy. Interferon alpha treatment is associated with potential psychiatric adverse effects and hepatologists are often reluctant to start this treatment in patients with psychiatric disorders. Consultation-Liaison psychiatrists have a key role in facilitating the management of hepatitis C. In this presentation I will review the association between hepatitis and psychiatric disorders, as are the strength of the association between interferon alpha treatment and depression and the evidence for pharmacological prevention, highlight psychopathology other than depression and conclude with a description of clinical practice in our hepatitis liaison clinic.

consultation-liaison - hepatitis - interferon