Analysis of changes in the psychological status of HCV patients after DAAs treatment

Shan Tang^1#, Yeying Liu^1#, Zhongping Duan¹, Mei Liu^1*, Sujun Zheng^1*

¹Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Liver Failure and Artificial Liver Treatment Research, Artificial Liver Center, Beijing YouAn Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.

#S.T. and Y.L. contributed equally to this work.

M.L. and S.Z. were co-corresponding authors.

*Correspondence: Mei Liu; Email: liumei@ccmu.edu.cn Sujun Zheng; Email: zhengsujun@ccmu.edu.cn

Abstract

Background It is well known that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are experiencing both physical and psychological pressures. However, no previous studies have examined whether the psychological state of HCV patients changes after treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs).

Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted using the following scales: 1. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; 2. The Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale; 3. Global Assessment of Functioning Scale; 4. Life Event Checklist; 5. Patient Health Questionnaire-9; 6. Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology; 7. The 12-item Short Form Health Survey; 8. Stigma; 9. Subjective social status. Cohort members were included if they had HCV infection and were willing to receive DAAs therapy.

Results Global Assessment of Functioning Scale score and subjective social status score were significantly different in HCV patients without DAAs treatment compared with HCV patients after treatment with DAAs (P < 0.05). We found no significant differences in other scales.

Conclusions The current findings suggested that there was no change in the psychological status of HCV patients after treatment with DAAs except for the patient’s sense of their position.

Keywords: chronic hepatitis C, direct-acting antivirals, psychological status, subjective social status