• Qutabuddin Khuhro, Hafeezullah Shaikh, WashdevWashdev, Institute of Behavioral Sciences, DUHS, Karachi, Pakistan., and Shahkamal Hashmi.
• Qutabuddin Khuhro, National Institute of Gastrointestinal Disease, Dow University Hospital, DUHS, Ojha Campus, Karachi, Pakistan.
• Pak J Med Sci. 2022 Jan 1; 38 (1): 162-166.

ObjectiveTo determine the frequency of depression in Hepatitis-C patients and its association clearance of HCV.MethodsIt is cross sectional study that was conducted between 1st July to 31st December, 2020, at National Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (NILGID),, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).. Both male and female patients aged 18 to 60 years presenting with Hepatitis-C PCR positive or had received DAA for three months and became PCR negative were included in this cross sectional study. Depression was analyzed by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Mean and standard deviations were calculated and analyzed.ResultsTotal 210 patients were included in this study, with mean age 36.06 ± 10.11 years. Depression was present in 118 (56.2%) patients. Among patients with HCV PCR positive depression present in 63 (30.0%) patients while in HCV PCR negative 55 (26.0%) patients. Similarly, depression in HCV PCR positive male patients, aged ≤40 years 80 (38.1%) and in HCV PCR negative 56 (26.7%) patients.ConclusionPatients with chronic Hepatitis-C commonly suffer from depression. However, our study found no significant difference with change in PCR status at 12 weeks.Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.

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