Glycated hemoglobin and antidiabetic strategies as risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between glycemic control [assessed by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)], antidiabetic therapies and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
We recruited 465 patients with HCC, 618 cases with liver cirrhosis and 490 controls with no liver disease. Among subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), the associations between the antidiabetic strategies and HbA1c level with HCC were determined through 2 series of multivariate logistic regression models using cirrhotic patients and controls as comparison groups.


RESULTS
DM2 prevalence was 31.2% in patients with HCC, 23.2% in cirrhotic patients and 12.6% in controls (P < 0.0001). In 86% of study subjects, DM2 had been diagnosed for more than 1 year before the HCC diagnosis. HCC patients with DM2 had a 1.5-2.5-fold increased risk of liver cancer. The HbA1c mean levels were significantly higher in DM2 patients with HCC than in cirrhotic and control DM2 patients. Antidiabetic treatment with metformin was more common among cirrhotic and control DM2 subjects than among cases with HCC. In both series of multivariate analyses, treatment with metformin significantly reduced the risk of HCC by more than 80% compared with sulphonylureas and insulin therapy. No significant differences were seen between sulphonylureas and insulin treatment. Elevated HbA1c levels were positively related to the risk for HCC in diabetic patients, with a 26%-50% increase in risk for each 1% increase in HbA1c values.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with preexisting DM2, the risk of HCC is positively associated with poor chronic glycemic control and significantly decreased by metformin therapy.
Donadon
Valter
V
Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine 3rd, Pordenone Hospital, Via Montereale 24, Pordenone 33170, Italy. valter.donadon@gmail.com
Balbi
Massimiliano
M
Valent
Francesca
F
Avogaro
Angelo
A
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin