Effect of hepatitis C infection on the quality of life

Abstract

PurposeTo assess the quality of life (QoL) of patients with hepatitis C infection (HCI) and its correlations with demographic and clinical variables. Design and MethodsQoL and depressive symptoms were evaluated with the validated rating instruments of the 36-item short form (SF-36) generic health survey and the second version of the self-rated Beck depression inventory (BDI-II) in a cross-sectional design and correlated with basic demographic and clinical variables, including the Fibroscan score, which indicates the severity of liver impairment. FindingsA cohort of 60 HCI patients who participated in the study scored lower than the general population on all domains of the SF-36. In the multivariate correlation analysis, only the physical functioning domain of the SF-36 showed a significant correlation with age, gender, and BD-II and Fibroscan scores. Implications for Clinical PracticeQoL is lower for patients who are older, female, and have depressive symptoms. Progression of hepatic cirrhosis is associated with lower QoL in the physical domain.