Liver steatosis in chronic hepatitis C: a morphological sign suggesting infection with HCV genotype 3.
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors associated with liver steatosis in chronic hepatitis C.


RESULTS
Occurrence and severity of liver steatosis in 254 chronic hepatitis C patients were compared with presence of alcohol abuse, body mass index (BMI) >26, history of intravenous drug addiction and hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype. Steatosis was found in 109 (43%) patients. The occurrence of steatosis was significantly associated with ongoing alcohol abuse (P=0.03) or HCV genotype 3 (P= 0.003), but not with BMI >26. A moderate to severe steatosis was present in 60% of patients infected with HCV genotype 3, irrespective of the presence of alcohol abuse, BMI >26 or history of intravenous drug addiction. Using a multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis, infection with genotype 3 had an odds ratio (OR) of 10 (95% confidence interval (CI)=4.56-22) for a liver steatosis, whereas the presence of a cirrhosis at histology had an OR=0.256 (95% CI=0.07-0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
A moderate to severe degree of steatosis of the liver is a morphological sign suggestive of infection with HCV genotype 3, independent of other risk factors of a fatty liver, but it may disappear at late stages of the disease.
Rubbia-Brandt
L
L
Division of Clinical Pathology, University Hospital, 1 rue Michel Servet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland. laura.rubbia-brandt@hcuge.ch
Leandro
G
G
Spahr
L
L
Giostra
E
E
Quadri
R
R
Malé
P J
PJ
Negro
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous
D012367:RNA, Viral