Escitalopram for the prevention of peginterferon-alpha2a-associated depression in hepatitis C virus-infected patients without previous psychiatric disease: a randomized trial

BACKGROUND: Depression is a major complication during treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). It is unclear whether antidepressants can prevent IFN-induced depression in patients without psychiatric risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether preemptive antidepressant treatment with escitalopram can decrease the incidence or severity of depression associated with pegylated IFN-alpha in HCV-infected patients without a history of psychiatric disorders. DESIGN: Randomized, multicenter, double-blind, prospective, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00136318) SETTING: 10 university and 11 academic…