Reappraisal of the characteristics of glucose abnormalities in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
OBJECTIVE
There is growing evidence suggesting the mutual link between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the impact of HCV infection on the suite of glucose abnormalities has rarely been investigated. The study aimed to determine the difference regarding the prevalence and the characteristics of glucose abnormalities between chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and community-based controls. It also aimed to investigate the related clinical, virological, and histological features of glucose abnormalities in HCV infection.


METHODS
Six hundred eighty-three CHC patients and 515 sex-/age-matched controls were included. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed in 522 CHC patients and 447 controls without known T2DM. Clinical data were assessed upon the different stages of glucose abnormalities based on OGTT results.


RESULTS
The prevalence of normoglycemia, IGT, and T2DM in 683 CHC patients was 27.7%, 34.6%, and 37.8%, respectively. There was a significant linear trend from normoglycemia to T2DM in terms of age, family history of T2DM, and advanced liver fibrosis in CHC patients. For those CHC patients without fibrosis, the prevalence of glucose abnormalities reached 67.9% high. All CHC patients carried a significantly higher prevalence than controls regarding those aged <65 yr. For those without known DM, there was a 3.5-fold increase in the prevalence of glucose abnormalities in CHC (65.8%) patients in comparison with controls (35.3%) (OR 3.51, 95% CI 2.70-4.56, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
CHC patients carried a high prevalence of glucose abnormalities. Determination of glucose abnormalities by OGTT may be suggested.
Huang
Jee-Fu
JF
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Yu
Ming-Lung
ML
Dai
Chia-Yen
CY
Hsieh
Ming-Yen
MY
Hwang
Shang-Jyh
SJ
Hsiao
Pi-Jung
PJ
Lee
Li-Po
LP
Lin
Zu-Yau
ZY
Chen
Shinn-Chern
SC
Hsieh
Ming-Yuh
MY
Wang
Liang-Yen
LY
Shin
Shyi-Jang
SJ
Chang
Wen-Yu
WY
Chuang
Wan-Long
WL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D019562:Viral Load
D001786:Blood Glucose