title: Hepatitis C virus infection in Nigerians with diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies from mainly Caucasian populations have shown epidemiological evidence of an association between diabetes mellitus and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this study was to determine whether any such association exists in a blackAfrican population with diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross sectional study of consecutive diabetic patients seen at the diabetes clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu, Nigeria between September 1, 2004 and April 30, 2005. Patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy during the same period for dyspeptic symptoms were used as controls after matching for age and sex. Structured questionnaire on risk factors for HCV infection was administered to the participants. Blood test for HCV antibodies was carried out on the diabetic patients as well as the control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 191 diabetic patients, 27(14.1%) were HCV antibody positive compared to the control group in which 5 out of 134 (3.7%) subjects had HCV antibodies (p = 0.0046).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hepatitis C virus infection is more common in Nigerian patients with diabetes mellitus than in control subjects. The nature of the association between diabetes mellitus and HCV infection remains to be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department ofMedicine, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. scnwokediuko@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Nwokediuko
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Oli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies