title: Serum visfatin is correlated with disease severity and metabolic syndrome in chronic hepatitis C infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cytokines activation is a common feature in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. Visfatin, as a recently-recognized adipocytokine, may correlate with metabolic abnormalities. We aimed to elucidate the characteristics of visfatin in CHC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 102 treatment-naïve CHC patients and 97 sex-/age-matched healthy adults. Serum visfatin levels were examined by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay test. The correlation between visfatin and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in terms of virological, metabolic, and histopathological profiles was analyzed. The impact of visfatin on the treatment response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (PEGIFN/RBV) therapy was also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The visfatin level was correlated significantly with fibrosis scores (r = 0.23, P = 0.02) in CHC patients. A significant higher visfatin level was observed in CHC patients with histological activity index scores of mild and more (P = 0.01) and advanced fibrosis (P = 0.04). The mean visfatin level (0.81 ± 0.28 log ng/mL) of 26 CHC patients with metabolic syndrome was significantly lower than their counterparts (0.95 ± 0.30 log ng/mL) (P = 0.03). There was no significant correlation between visfatin and HCV genotypes, viral load, and treatment response to PEGIFN/RBV therapy. Multiple logistic regression analyses demonstrated that metabolic syndrome was the leading negative variable (odds ratio = 0.09, 95% confidence interval = 0.02-0.46, P = 0.004) associated with high visfatin level, followed by advanced fibrosis (odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.06-6.78, P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum visfatin was correlated with disease severity and metabolic syndrome in CHC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jee-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chung-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming-Lung
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Chia-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Ching-I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Meng-Hsuan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Jeng-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ming-Yen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Zu-Yau
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shinn-Chern
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wan-Long
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Chuang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000821:virology; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013624:Taiwan; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a