title: Interferon-alpha improves glucose tolerance in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with HCV-induced liver disease.
abstract: This pilot study was initiated to evaluate factors controlling glucose tolerance in patients with hepatitis C virus-induced liver disease before and after therapy with recombinant interferon-alpha (r-INF-alpha). Fifteen patients with histologically and serologically proven hepatitis C infection underwent oral and frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests (FSIGTT) before and after four months of therapy (6 x 106 U r-INF-alpha, subcutaneously, three times a week). Glucose, insulin and C-peptide data from FSIGTT were analysed using the minimal modeling technique to determine insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness and first and second phase insulin secretion. According to the WHO criteria 13 patients, had normal glucose tolerance; diabetes mellitus was diagnosed in 2 patients. In the morning following the last r-INF-alpha injection four months later, insulin sensitivity improved significantly in hepatitis C virus-infected patients with normal glucose tolerance (2.17 +/- 0.37 vs. 6.18 +/- 0.94 10(-4) min(-1) per microU/ml, p < 0.001) and with diabetes mellitus (0.86 to 2.61; 0.46 to 1.06 10(-4) min(-1) per microU/ml). This effect was independent of the extent of fibrosis, virus load before treatment and therapy response. First phase insulin secretion increased in non-diabetic (139.2 +/- 17.1 vs. 200.0 +/- 32.7, p < 0.05) and diabetic patients with HCV infection (55.24 to 118.5; 84.23 to 261.1). Moreover, free fatty acid concentrations in all HCV-infected patients were significantly reduced (0.48 +/- 0.01 vs 0.21 +/- 0.03 mmol/l, p < 0.01). Therapy with recombinant interferon-alpha is associated with an amelioration of glucose tolerance in non-diabetic and diabetic HCV-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine I, Center of Internal Medicine, J. W. Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Konrad
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vicini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zeuzem
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Toffolo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Briem
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lormann
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wittmann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kusterer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Teuber
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cobelli
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Usadel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007700:Kinetics; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002096:C-Peptide; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011994:Recombinant Proteins