The Impact of Gender on Interferon-Associated Depression and Anxiety
Abstract
Population studies indicate women have higher prevalences of depression and anxiety than men. Interferon (IFN) is a biologic agent that can induce or exacerbate depression and/or anxiety. Whether women are more likely to experience these side effects of IFN during treatment remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to document levels of depression and anxiety in female and male patients before and during IFN-based treatment. This was a prospective open-label study in which depression was measured by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and anxiety by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Before treatment, the prevalence of depression was higher in females (3/13 [23%]) than males (1/25 [4%]), but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.12). Initial BDI scores were also higher in females but not significantly (P = 0.07). During treatment, BDI scores increased to a similar extent in both genders. A similar percentage of nondepressed patients at baseline developed depression (females: 50% versus males: 35%, P = 0.45). Before treatment, anxiety was significantly more common in females (7/13 [54%]) than males (3/25 [12%]) (P = 0.016) and median HADS scores were higher in females (P = 0.03). During treatment, increases in HADS scores were similar in the 2 genders. A similar percentage of patients without anxiety at baseline developed anxiety on treatment (females: 50% versus males: 23%, P = 0.31). The frequency and extent of IFN-induced/exacerbated depression and anxiety are not gender dependent.
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In 2018 Canada, using THINC-it, women had a higher rate of severe depression than men.
“In 2018, in Canada, the THINC-integrated tool (THINC-it), a newly developed cognitive tool, was used to evaluate cognitive impairment in patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). It was reported that women had a higher rate of severe depression than men [47].”
From Effect of Caffeine Consumption on the Risk for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Sex Differences in Human (2020) · cites this paper as [47]
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“It was reported that women had a higher rate of severe depression than men [47].”
Background
- Authors
- Rempel, J. D., Krueger, C., Uhanova, J., Wong, S., & Minuk, G. Y.
- Affiliations
- University of Manitoba (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Minuk, Gerald Y.
- Venue
- Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2019-07
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 416-420
- ISSN
- 1079-9907 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-7465
- OpenAlex
- W2944154033
- Cited by
- 3
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1
- FWCI
- 0.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Manitoba Health Research Council
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Hepatology › Hepatitis C virus research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Keywords
- interferon, depression, anxiety, gender differences, sex differences, interferon-induced depression, Beck Depression Inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, antiviral therapy adverse effects
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Antiviral Agents, Anxiety, Depression, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Surveys and Questionnaires, Ribavirin, Sex Characteristics, Hepacivirus, Interferon-alpha, Hepatitis C, Chronic
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