Severe depression following á-interferon usage in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia

AI Mamman, AJ Yusuf, S Aminu, TL Sheikh, A Hassan

Abstract
Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), with a median age of 40 years, is one of the commonest haematological malignancies in Nigeria. Cytoreductive agents, which were hitherto the mainstay of treatment, neither induce cytogenetic nor haematologic remission. Alphainterferon (á-IFN), an endogenous glycoprotein with cytotoxic and natural killer cell enhancer effects has been found to induce haematologic and cytogenetic remission in patients with CML, but neuro- psychiatric complications of á -interferon (á-IFN) usage
were not reported in Nigeria.

Objective: To report a case of deliberate self-harm in University Lecturer as a side effect of á-IFN in the treatment of CML Method: Clinical and laboratory follow up of a patient receiving á-IFN in the management of CML from the time of diagnosis of CML to the point of loss of contact.

Result: Severe depression is a complication that may adversely influence the clinical outcome of á-IFN usage

Conclusions/Recommendations: Although interferon related depression is uncommon, it is suggested that pre-therapy interferon
assays and neuro-psychiatric assessment are carried out in prospective users of á-IFN

Keywords: Chronic myeloid leukaemia, interferon-á, depression