title: Community-based study of hepatitis C virus infection and type 2 diabetes: an association affected by age and hepatitis severity status.
abstract: Past studies of the relation between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and type 2 diabetes conflict. The authors aimed to elucidate the relation by using a large community-based sample with a wide range of liver conditions. Between October 1997 and February 1998, 2,327 consecutive subjects (aged > or =35 years) were enrolled at the public health facility in Taiwan. Blood sugar, hepatitis B surface antigen, and antibody for HCV (anti-HCV) were tested. Abdominal sonography was performed on viral-hepatitis-positive subjects. In univariate analysis, older age, lower educational levels, sedentary work, body mass index of > or 25 kg/m2, and anti-HCV positivity were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes (p<0.05), but smoking, alcohol consumption, gender, and hepatitis B surface antigen status were not. In multivariate logistic regression, anti-HCV positivity was strongly associated with type 2 diabetes in subjects aged 35-49 years (odds ratio (OR)=3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4, 8.0) and 50-64-years (OR=1.6, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.5). Sonographic evidence of fatty liver (OR=2.4, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.8) and chronic liver disease (OR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.0, 4.2) in anti-HCV-positive subjects was moderately associated with type 2 diabetes after age and gender adjustment. Data suggest that HCV infection is moderately associated with type 2 diabetes; the association was strongest for subjects aged 35-49 years and increased with severity of the liver condition.
authors.affiliation: A-Lein Community Health Center, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chong-Shan
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shan-Tair
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei-Jen
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Ting-Tsung
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Pesus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology