title: Prevalence of hepatitis C infection and risk factors in hospitalized diabetic patients: results of a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although there may exist a nosocomial risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, this risk has not been fully investigated thus far and its magnitude is unknown. The aim of this multicenter cross-sectional study was to evaluate the prevalence of, and risk factors for, hepatitis C infection in consecutive hospitalized patients with diabetes and to assess the nosocomial risk and magnitude of HCV infection in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive hospitalized patients with diabetes seen in 11 French hepatogastroenterology and diabetology departments were studied. The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies was compared with that observed in healthy blood donors and individuals seen during routine medical checkup. Diabetic patients with anti-HCV antibodies were compared with patients without anti-HCV antibodies for assessment of risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total 1561 patients were studied. Independent risk factors for HCV infection were assessed through multivariate analysis. Thirty-three patients (2.11%) had anti-HCV antibodies and 21 (63.70%) had HCV identified risk factors. The prevalence of HCV infection was higher in patients with diabetes than in blood donors (0.08%) or healthy controls (0.20%) (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis identified four independent risk factors for HCV infection: blood transfusion before 1991 [odds ratio (OR)=2.88, P=0.033], intravenous drug use (OR=21.37, P=0.012), treatment in a hepatogastroenterology center (OR=4.17, P=0.002) and a high number (>2) of previous admissions since the onset of diabetes (OR=2.52, P=0.039).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A nosocomial source of HCV infection in hospitalized diabetic patients is suggested by the increased risk of HCV infection associated with the number of hospitalizations. This may account for at least 36% of cases of HCV infection.
authors.affiliation: Picardie Hepatitis C network, Creil, France. jfrancois.cadranel@ch-creil.fr
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cadranel
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Martino
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lambrey
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mourlhon
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nalet
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Anciaux
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bigué
authors.forename: Jean-Noël
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Barjon
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bories
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barbare
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halimi
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ribière
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eugène
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeanne
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Donato
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dumouchel
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pariente
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duverlie
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devergie
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arlot
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Capron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies