Chronic viral hepatitis: a prospective factor against atherosclerosis. A study with echo-color Doppler of the carotid and femoral arteries and the abdominal aorta.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate if chronic viral hepatitis may be a protective factor for atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Echo-doppler of the carotid and femoral arteries and the abdominal aorta was used to examine 48 patients with a histological diagnosis of chronic viral hepatitis (42 hepatitis C virus-related, 6 hepatitis B virus-related), with a low degree of activity and preserved hepatic function, and 50 controls matched for age, sex and exposure to the main risk factors of atherosclerosis.


RESULTS
The prevalence of atherosclerosis in patients was clearly lower than in controls in all investigated sites, although the difference was statistically significant only for the carotid arteries. The percentage of patients with carotid atherosclerosis was 27% in patients with liver disease and 56% in controls (P<0.005). Furthermore, and again at the carotid level, the patients with liver disease had fewer atheromatous lesions (16 plaques vs. 59; P<0.001) than controls as well as a lower degree of vessel stenosis. None of the liver disease patients presented with vessel stenosis above 30% vs. 8% of control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Chronic viral hepatitis may help prevent from atherosclerosis.
Bilora
F
F
Dipartimento di Scienze Medico-Chirurgiche, Università di Padova, Clinica Medica II, Padova, Italy. franca.bilora@sanita.padova.it
Rinaldi
R
R
Boccioletti
V
V
Petrobelli
F
F
Girolami
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color