Depression and fatigue: Challenging comorbidities in HCV-infected patients

Abstract

Depression and fatigue are two of the most common problems reported by patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Psychosocial and biological factors contribute to the etiology of these symptoms, but the exact pathogenesis of each is not well understood. Depression is managed effectively in most HCV patients using antidepressant medication, but management strategies for fatigue are lacking. Additional research is needed to refine the definition of fatigue and its measurement, as well as to identify the causes of these disabling symptoms, how they relate to other neuropsychiatric symptoms, and which interventions are most effective.