title: Variations of serum levels of adiponectin and resistin in chronic viral hepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several studies investigated the possible role of adipokines during chronic viral hepatitis, not producing defined results neither clearly establishing their behavior in course of anti-viral treatment. Our study evaluated blood concentrations of adiponectin and resistin in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), B (CHB), and D (CHD) receiving anti-viral treatment, at baseline and after therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 122 subjects, divided into two groups: 64 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (38 males and 26 females, mean age 47.25 yr) and 58 patients including 39 ones with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (26 males and 13 females, mean age 48.46 yr) and 19 ones with chronic HBV-hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection (15 males and 4 females, mean age 45.79 yr). Serum levels of adiponectin and resistin were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group of CHC patients we observed a significant decrease in resistin after therapy (p=0.006), while not a significant increase in adiponectin after treatment (p=0.32). Evaluation of changes in adiponectin and resistin levels after anti-viral treatment, both in responders and non-responders, revealed no significant variations. In the group of HBV+ and HBV-HDV+ patients, we found a decrease in resistin after therapy (p=0.0016) and a not significant reduction in adiponectin after treatment (p=0.13). Furthermore, we noticed a significant reduction of resistin (p=0.006) in the sub-group of responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggested the possible marker role of adiponectin and resistin in the inflammatory process in course of chronic viral hepatitis.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Turin, C.so A.M. Dogliotti 14, 10126 Turin, Italy. marilena.durazzo@unito.it.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Durazzo
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Belci
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Niro
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Collo
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Grisoglio
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Ambrogio
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Spandre
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Fontana
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Gambino
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cassader
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Bo
mesh_terms: D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D019701:Hepatitis D, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D052242:Adiponectin; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D052243:Resistin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a