Association of the prevalence and grade of steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C with the host and viral factors.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hepatosteatosis in chronic hepatitis C patients, evaluate the potential impact of some host- and virus-related factors on its occurrence and possible influence of steatosis on the consequences of hepatitis.


METHODS
The case records of 387 patients with hepatitis C and cirrhosis were studied. The prevalence and grade of steatosis were investigated and evaluated by logistic regression analysis as dependent variable to age, gender, alcohol consumption, body mass index, hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes, liver enzymes activity, histological activity index and fibrosis.


RESULTS
Steatosis was found in 47.3% of the patients. It was more prevalent in males, alcohol abusers, overweight and obese patients, and in those with HCV genotypes 3 and 2. Multivariate analysis confirmed body mass index as an independent risk factor for steatosis in the overall patient cohort and in those with genotypel without any correlation with the steatosis grade. The prevalence and grade of steatosis were associated with alcohol consumption and higher fibrosis stage. The age of the patients showed converse association.


CONCLUSIONS
The male gender, body mass index, alcohol consumption, genotype 2 and 3 were confirmed as risk factors for hepatosteatosis. Older patients had a lesser steatosis grade. The correlation of histological activity index and fibrosis scores with the prevalence and higher grade of steatosis suggested a possibility to worsen the course of hepatitis C and to accelerate disease progression.
Liakina
V
V
Vilnius University, Faculty of Medicine, Clinic of Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Urology and Abdominal Surgery, Centre of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Dietetics, Lithuania. valentina.liakina@santa.lt
Speiciené
D
D
Irnius
A
A
Semuchiniené
T
T
Valantinas
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors