Source
Hepatobiliary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Hepatitis Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been suggested to be associated with non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and lipid profiles. This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships of insulin resistance (IR) and lipid profiles with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients in Taiwan.
METHODS:
We enrolled 160 hospital- based CHC patients with liver biopsy and the 480 controlled individuals without CHC and chronic hepatitis B from communities without known history of NIDDM. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and serum insulin levels and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) were tested.
RESULTS:
When comparing factors between CHC patients and sex- and age-matched controls who had no HCV infection, patients with HCV infection had a significantly higher ALT level, FPG level, insulin level, and HOMA-IR (P<0.001, P=0.023, P=0.017 and P= 0.011, respectively) and significantly lower triglycerides level (P=0.023), total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C levels (all Ps<0.001) than 480 controls. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, a low total cholesterol, a low triglycerides and a high HOMA-IR are independent factors significantly associated with chronic HCV Infection. In the 160 CHC patients [41 patients with high HOMA-IR (>2.5)], a high BMI, triglycerides and HCV RNA level are independent factors significantly associated with high HOMA-IR in multivariate logistic analyses.
CONCLUSIONS:
Chronic HCV infection was associated with metabolic characteristics including IR and lipid profile. IR was also associated with virological characteristics.