title: Resting energy expenditure in chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Hypermetabolism is considered to be of clinical interest in liver disease and in several chronic viral infections. Whether resting energy expenditure (REE) increases during chronic hepatitis C is not known. Our aims were: (a) to determine the metabolic state of patients with chronic hepatitis C, and (b) to evaluate the effects of interferon therapy on REE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients and 20 controls were studied. Sixteen patients failed to respond to interferon and 12 patients stopped the treatment during the first 2 months for various reasons. The 19 responders all received 1 year of interferon. REE (indirect calorimetry) and fat-free mass (FFM, bioelectric impedance analysis) were evaluated before (day 0) and after 90, 180, and 360 days of interferon. The virus load was evaluated in patients before treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On day 0, REE expressed as a ratio of FFM (REE/FFM) was higher in patients than in controls (129.2 +/- 14.7 vs 117.9 +/- 9.6 kJ kg FFM(-1) 24 h(-1), p<0.01), and was positively correlated with the viral load (r=0.45, p=0.01). On day 90, REE/FFM had significantly decreased in responders but it did not decrease in non-responders (p<0.01). In responders, REE/FFM on days 180 and 360 was similar to that of the controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic hepatitis C induces hypermetabolism that is normalized by interferon therapy in responders. The underlying mechanisms of chronic hepatitis C-induced hypermetabolism and its clinical relevance remain to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatogastroenterology and Nutrition, Archet Hospital, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Piche
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benzaken
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rampal
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hébuterne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D001823:Body Composition; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D000410:Alanine Transaminase