Silybin Supplementation During HCV Therapy With Pegylated Interferon-α2b Plus Ribavirin Reduces Depression and Increases Work Ability

Silybin Supplementation During HCV Therapy With Pegylated Interferon-α2b Plus Ribavirin Reduces Depression and Increases Work Ability

Silybin Supplementation During HCV Therapy With Pegylated Interferon-α2b Plus Ribavirin Reduces Depression and Increases Work Ability

Background: Hepatitis C virus infection and interferon treatment have shown to be risk factors for depression, distressing, psychosocial burden and poor health-related quality of life. Aim: To determine the effect of a Sylibin-vitamin E-phoshpolipids complex on work ability and whether health related factors (anxiety and depression) were associated with work ability in subjects with chronic hepatitis C treated with Peg-IFN-α and RBV. Patients and Methods: In this prospective, randomized, placebo controlled, double blind clinical trial, 31 subjects (Group A) with chronic hepatitis, received Pegylated-Interferon-α2b (1.5 mg/kg per week) plus Ribavirin and placebo, while 31 subjects (Group B) received the same dosage of Pegylated-Interferon-α2b plus Ribavirin plus association of Silybin 94 mg + vitamin E 90 mg + phospholipids 194 mg in one pill for 12 months. All subjects underwent laboratory exams and questionnaires to evaluate depression (Beck Depression Inventory - BDI), anxiety (State-trait anxiety inventory - STAI) and work ability (Work ability Index - WAI).

Administration of questionnaire(Work ability Index - WAI)The work ability index is a tool to record the work ability of employees. It aims at identifying, at an early stage, health risks of early retirement an counteracting them. The questionnaire is aimed at: 1) the estimated current and future work ability; 2) diagnosed illness and the number of absenteeism days in the previous year; 3) the estimated sickness-related deterioration in the work performance; 4) mental ability reserves. The WAI evaluates current work ability compared with lifetime and in relation to the demands of the job, number of current diseases diagnosed by a physician, estimated work impairment due to diseases.

Inclusion Criteria: HCV infection Exclusion Criteria: cancer severe jaundice pulmonary and renal chronic diseases prostatic diseases autoimmune diseases diabetes mellitus decompensated cirrhosis pregnancy hemoglobinopathies hemocromatosis

Malaguarnera G, Bertino G, Chisari G, Motta M, Vecchio M, Vacante M, Caraci F, Greco C, Drago F, Nunnari G, Malaguarnera M. Silybin supplementation during HCV therapy with pegylated interferon-alpha plus ribavirin reduces depression and anxiety and increases work ability. BMC Psychiatry. 2016 Nov 15;16(1):398. doi: 10.1186/s12888-016-1115-z.