Clinical significance of metabolic syndrome in the setting of chronic hepatitis C virus infection.
OBJECTIVE
The metabolic syndrome (MS) is a unique condition in which the underlying mechanism is related to insulin resistance. In hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, insulin resistance has been linked to treatment failure. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MS in HCV patients undergoing antiviral therapy and to assess its predictive value in treatment outcome.


METHODS
All HCV treatment-naive patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria were studied (n = 228). MS was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. A logistic regression analysis was performed to study multivariable associations. The final model contained sex, ethnicity, body mass index, viral load, genotype, steatosis, fibrosis stage, and MS.


RESULTS
MS was present in 59 of 228 (26%) patients. Genotype 1 (P = .002) and presence of steatosis (P < .001) were found to be associated significantly with MS. Overall, sustained virologic response (SVR) was achieved in 108 of 228 (47%) patients. Male sex, non-Caucasian ethnicity, higher body mass index, high viral load, genotype 1, higher fibrosis stage, and MS were associated significantly with a lack of SVR. After adjusting for confounding variables, MS remained independently associated with a lack of SVR (P < .01). Specifically, subjects with MS were 3.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.4-10.5) times more likely to fail treatment than those without MS.


CONCLUSIONS
MS is seen frequently in patients with chronic HCV and is associated independently to lack of SVR. These findings support the concept that an aggressive intervention approach comprising lifestyle modification alone or in combination with drug treatment of the MS components may play an important role in improving antiviral responses in these patients.
Hanouneh
Ibrahim A
IA
Department of Internal Medicine, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Feldstein
Ariel E
AE
Lopez
Rocio
R
Yerian
Lisa
L
Pillai
Anjana
A
Zein
Claudia O
CO
Zein
Nizar N
NN
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015994:Incidence; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution
D000998:Antiviral Agents