title: Clinical features of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hepatitis C infection.
abstract: The objective of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and the clinical and laboratory features of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) attending either an outpatient clinic or hemodialysis units. Serologic-HCV testing was performed in 489 type 2 DM patients (303 outpatients and 186 on dialysis). A structured assessment of clinical, laboratory and DM-related complications was performed and the patients were then compared according to HCV infection status. Mean patient age was 60 years; HCV positivity (HCV+) was observed in 39 of 303 (12.9%) outpatients and in 34 of 186 (18.7%) dialysis patients. Among HCV+ patients, 32 were men (43.8%). HCV+ patients had higher serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (0.90 ± 0.83 vs 0.35 ± 0.13 µKat/L), alanine aminotransferase (0.88 ± 0.93 vs 0.38 ± 0.19 µKat/L), gamma-glutamyl transferase (1.57 ± 2.52 vs 0.62 ± 0.87 µKat/L; P < 0.001), and serum iron (17.65 ± 6.68 vs 14.96 ± 4.72 µM; P = 0.011), and lower leukocyte and platelet counts (P = 0.010 and P < 0.001, respectively) than HCV-negative (HCV-) patients. HCV+ dialysis patients had higher diastolic blood pressure than HCV- patients (87.5 ± 6.7 vs 81.5 ± 6.0 mmHg; P = 0.005) and a lower prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (75 vs 92.7%; P = 0.007). In conclusion, our study showed that HCV is common among subjects with type 2 DM but is not associated with a higher prevalence of chronic diabetic complications.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Endocrinologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Greca
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rados
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Canani
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase