Clinical expression of insulin resistance in hepatitis C and B virus-related chronic hepatitis: differences and similarities.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of the clinical parameters of insulin resistance and diabetes in patients affected by chronic hepatitis C (CHC) or chronic hepatitis B (CHB).


METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated 852 consecutive patients (726 CHC and 126 CHB) who had undergone liver biopsy. We recorded age, sex, ALT, type 2 diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome (MS), body mass index (BMI), and apparent disease duration (ADD).


RESULTS
Age, ADD, BMI, prevalence of MS and diabetes in patients with mild/moderate liver fibrosis were significantly higher in CHC. However, the degree of steatosis and liver fibrosis evaluated in liver biopsies did not differ between CHC and CHB patients. At multivariate analysis, age, sex, BMI, ALT and diabetes were independent risk factors for liver fibrosis in CHC, whereas only age was related to liver fibrosis in CHB. We also evaluated the association between significant steatosis (>30%) and age, sex, BMI, diabetes, MS and liver fibrosis. Diabetes, BMI and liver fibrosis were associated with steatosis >30% in CHC, whereas only age and BMI were related to steatosis in CHB.


CONCLUSIONS
These data may indicate that hepatitis C virus infection is a risk factor for insulin resistance.
Persico
Marcello
M
Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, Second University of Naples, Via F. Petrarca, 101/b, Naples 80122, Italy. marcello.persico@unina2.it
Masarone
Mario
M
La Mura
Vincenzo
V
Persico
Eliana
E
Moschella
Francesco
F
Svelto
Monica
M
Bruno
Savino
S
Torella
Roberto
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors