Table 1.
Baseline characteristics and psychiatric morbidity
| Age, mean (range) | 58 | (44–67) |
| Male sex, n (%) | 9 | (53) |
| BMI, mean (range) | 27.2 | (17.5–35.6) |
| HCV RNA IE/mL, median (range) | 2.6 × 106 | (2.8 × 105 - 16 × 106) |
| HCV genotype, n (%) | ||
| 1a | 7 | (41) |
| 1b | 3 | (18) |
| 3a | 5 | (29) |
| 1a/1b/1× | 2 | (12) |
| Descent | ||
| European | 16 | (94) |
| Middle Eastern | 1 | (6) |
| Previous IFN treatment, n (%) | 11 | (65) |
| Psychiatric side effects during IFN treatment, n | 6 | |
| Liver cirrhosis, n (%) | 10 | (59) |
| Child-Pugh A | 9 | |
| Child-Pugh B | 1 | |
| Current psychiatric morbidity, n (%) | 6 | (35) |
| Any mood disorder | 4 | (24) |
| Any substance abuse or dependencea | 2 | (12) |
| Any anxiety disorder | 1 | (6) |
| ADHDc | 2 | (12) |
| Lifetime psychiatric morbidity, n (%) | 15 | (88) |
| Any mood disorder | 10 | (59) |
| Any psychotic disorderb | 1 | (6) |
| Any substance abuse or dependence | 11 | (65) |
| Any anxiety disorder | 6 | (35) |
| Any eating disorder | 2 | (12) |
| ADHDc | 2 | (12) |
| Psychotropic medication | ||
| Any psychotropic medication | 8 | (47) |
| Antidepressants | 3 | (18) |
| Benzodiazepines | 3 | (18) |
| Benzodiazepine-like agents for sleep | 3 | (18) |
| Central nervous system stimulants | 1 | (6) |
| Buprenorphine | 2 | (12) |
a Patients were in an opiate substitution treatment programme
b Substance-induced psychotic disorder
c ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder based on patient diagnosis in medical records