Fatigue in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Abstract

Fatigue is nonspecific, but commonly reported symptom in the patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. It reduces the quality of life, and decreases the usual physical and psychic daily activities in HCV patients. The prevalence of fatigue in HCV patients is 59.6%, and depends on age, female sex, history of contamination by blood transfusions, necro-inflammatory activity in the liver, higher viral load, and advanced liver fibrosis. Patients who experience fatigue, especially in the presence of liver dysfunction, should be sought for HCV infection in order to prevent the progression of the disease, using adequate treatment strategy.