Serum retinol-binding protein 4 is inversely correlated with disease severity of chronic hepatitis C.
OBJECTIVE
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection carries a significant risk for development of insulin resistance (IR) and/or diabetes mellitus. Recently, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has been reported as a protein contributing to IR. This study aimed to assess the correlation between RBP4 and disease severity of chronic HCV infection (CHC).


METHODS
Serum RBP4 was measured in 105 treatment-nai ve CHC patients and its correlation with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), liver histology, virology and metabolic factors was investigated. Patients were stratified into different stages of glucose tolerance by oral glucose tolerance test.


RESULTS
There was a significant decreasing linear trend of RBP4 dependent on both histological grading (from 35.8+/-16.5 microg/mL of minimal to 19.2+/-12.5 microg/mL of severe, P=0.002) and staging (from 34.2+/-10.0 microg/mL of F0 to 22.2+/-11.9 microg/mL of F3-4, P=0.02) progression, whilst a significant increment of HOMA-IR was found. Multivariate regression analysis showed BMI (1.1, 95% CI 0.44 ~ 1.77, P=0.001), HDL-C (-0.40, 95% CI -0.73 ~ -0.06, P=0.02), and LDL-C (0.31, 95% CI 0.02 ~ 0.61, P=0.04) were the significant variables for prediction of RBP4.


CONCLUSIONS
Disease severity may limit the role of RBP4 as a predictor of IR in CHC.
Huang
Jee-Fu
JF
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Dai
Chia-Yen
CY
Yu
Ming-Lung
ML
Shin
Shyi-Jang
SJ
Hsieh
Ming-Yen
MY
Huang
Chung-Feng
CF
Lee
Li-Po
LP
Lin
Kun-Der
KD
Lin
Zu-Yau
ZY
Chen
Shinn-Chern
SC
Hsieh
Ming-Yuh
MY
Wang
Liang-Yen
LY
Chang
Wen-Yu
WY
Chuang
Wan-Long
WL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000378:metabolism*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma