title: Effects of long-term interferon-alpha treatment on glucose tolerance in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interferon-a has been reported to acutely induce insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. The effects of long-term treatment with interferon-a on glucose metabolism remain unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C were given interferon-a (6x10(6)U/day) daily for 2 weeks and thereafter 3 times weekly up to 6 months. The patients received a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test before the treatment. Fifteen patients also had an intravenous glucose tolerance test for an assessment of insulin sensitivity with Bergman's minimal model. These tests were repeated 3 months after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Insulin sensitivity was not affected by the treatment (5.7+/-3.8 vs 5.2+/-3.8 10(-4) x min(-1) x mU(-1) x l , not significant) and a statistically significant but minimum decrease in area under the curve of plasma glucose (1012+/-332 vs 928+/-282 mmol x l(-1) x min, p<0.01) in a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was noted. Acute insulin response to intravenous glucose tolerance tests (214+/-275 vs 294+/-334 mU x l(-1) x min, p<0.05) increased slightly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to the known acute metabolic effects, interferon-a therapy for 3 months in patients with chronic hepatitis C did not have deleterious effects on insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Matsunami General Hospital, Kasamatsu, Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishimori
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akai
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test / Q000379:methods; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001786:Blood Glucose; D016898:Interferon-alpha