Hepatitis C patients with major depression may be able to tolerate the usual recommended doses of the antidepressant drug citalopram.

Patients with hepatitis C are more likely to become depressed than people without hepatitis C. However, antidepressant medication is often given to depressed hepatitis C patients at lower doses because of concerns about impaired metabolism and clearance.

After giving citalopram to 15 hepatitis C patients with major depression
over an eight-week period, the researchers found the antidepressant to be well tolerated.

The researchers concluded that their findings could avoid the potential for undertreatment of depression in hepatitis C patients.

Other sources: Psychosomatics. 2004 Jan-Feb;45(1):29-3