Hepatitis C virus infection enhances insulin resistance induced by visceral fat accumulation.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the impact of visceral obesity on hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients, we examined the relationship between insulin resistance development and visceral fat accumulation.


METHODS
We analyzed 87 HCV-infected patients with mild fibrosis (stage 1 or 2) in comparison with 125 sex- and age-matched patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The degree of visceral fat area (VFA; cm(2)) at the umbilical level was measured by abdominal computed tomography and divided into two grades: no visceral obesity, VFA<100 and visceral obesity, VFA>/=100. Insulin resistance was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI). Pancreatic beta-cell function was evaluated by homeostasis model assessment of beta-cell function (HOMA-beta). Serum soluble tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-receptors 1 and 2 and adiponectin were measured.


RESULTS
Insulin resistance evaluated by HOMA-IR and QUICKI was correlated with visceral fat accumulation, and was higher in HCV patients than in NAFLD patients with visceral obesity. HOMA-beta was higher in HCV patients than in NAFLD patients for each VFA grade. Serum-soluble TNF-receptors 1 and 2 were higher in HCV patients than in NAFLD patients with visceral obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis C virus infection is a risk factor for development of insulin resistance, particularly in patients with visceral obesity.
Eguchi
Yuichiro
Y
Department of Internal Medicine, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan. eguchiyu@cc.saga-u.ac.jp
Mizuta
Toshihiko
T
Ishibashi
Eriko
E
Kitajima
Yoichiro
Y
Oza
Noriko
N
Nakashita
Shunya
S
Hara
Megumi
M
Iwane
Shinji
S
Takahashi
Hirokazu
H
Akiyama
Takumi
T
Ario
Keisuke
K
Kawaguchi
Yasunori
Y
Yasutake
Tsutomu
T
Iwakiri
Ryuichi
R
Ozaki
Iwata
I
Hisatomi
Akitaka
A
Eguchi
Takahisa
T
Ono
Naofumi
N
Fujimoto
Kazuma
K
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007564:Japan; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D052242:Adiponectin; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor