This study aimed to investigate the role of alexithymia in the quality of life of patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with antiviral therapy. A consecutive sample of 124 patients were evaluated at baseline, during, and 6months after treatment with interferon and ribavirin. At baseline past mood disorders and alexithymia and, at each index visit, adverse events, psychological distress, and disease-specific quality of life were assessed with validated instruments. Patients with past mood disorders and alexithymia had impaired levels of quality of life, psychological distress, and treatment-related adverse events. However, after controlling for covariates, poor quality of life was independently predicted by alexithymia and psychological distress before (R(2)=0.60) and 6months after (R(2)=0.69) the antiviral treatment while during treatment (at 3months and the end of therapy) by depression and somatic adverse events (R(2)=0.67 and 0.69, respectively). Alexithymia rather than history of mood disorders resulted to be an independent predictor of impaired quality of life not only before but also 6months after the end of treatment. Given the association with proneness to health-compromising behaviors, clinicians are encouraged to pay closer attention to long-term psychological and somatic effects of antiviral treatment in patients with alexithymic characteristics.
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