Job performance in chronic hepatitis C virus patients treated with pegylated interferon-α2b plus ribavirin: an observational study

Background: The employment status of workers with chronic hepatitis C has important implications for society and labor market, for organizations and for the individuals and their economic, social and psychological status. To evaluate the effects to Peg-IFN-α and RBV treatment on work ability (WAI) and perceived on work stress (PWS). One hundred forty-four patients consecutive with chronic hepatitis C had been enrolled and treated with Pegylated-Interferon-α 2b at dose 1.5 mg/kg per week plus daily oral Ribavirin for 12 months. The work ability (WA) and perceived work stress (PWS) were evaluated. The baseline value of PWS and WAI were compared to the values obtained at end of months 1, 3, 6, 12 and at follow up. At the end of the study we have also compared the following groups: pretreatment, end treatment response (ETR), sustained response, no response, and relapse. Results: The comparison between end treatment response (ETR) and sustained viral response (SVR) showed a significant difference in PWS. Comparison between ETR and both non responders (NR) and relapser showed significant differences in perceived work stress p < 0.01 and work ability index p < 0.05. Conclusions: HCV workers, treated with Peg-IFNα 2b plus Ribavirin, shows work performance loss, a decrease of work ability at 1 month and increase in work ability in patients with end on treatment response and in sustained responders decrease in perceived work stress. Trial registration: This is not a registered study as an observational study. We measured the job performance in subjects who was undergoing to the gold standard therapy for Hepatitis C at the moment of our evaluation.