Diabetes mellitus is an independent prognostic factor for major liver-related outcomes in patients with cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis C.
In patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), cirrhosis is associated with age, gender, diabetes, alcohol abuse, and coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B virus (HBV). The effect of these factors on the outcome of cirrhosis is unknown. This study in CHC patients with cirrhosis aimed to assess the influence of these factors on decompensation, liver transplantation, and death. Consecutive patients with CHC and cirrhosis hospitalized between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2008 were followed up until death, transplantation, or study closure in March 2013. Gender, age, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, diabetes, alcohol abuse, HIV, or HBV coinfection were collected at inclusion. The complications of cirrhosis, death, and liver transplantation were recorded at inclusion and during follow-up. The association between baseline factors and liver-related outcomes at inclusion and during follow-up were tested using logistic regression and Cox's model, respectively. A total of 348 patients with CHC and cirrhosis (68% men; median age: 59 years; median MELD: 10) were included. At baseline, 40% of the patients had diabetes, 29% alcohol abuse, and 6% HIV or HBV coinfection. Baseline MELD≥10 (P<0.001), diabetes (P=0.027), and HBV coinfection (P=0.001) were independently associated with transplantation-free survival. Baseline diabetes was independently associated with ascites (P=0.05), bacterial infections (P=0.001), and encephalopathy (P<0.001) at inclusion. Baseline diabetes was independently associated with development of ascites (P=0.057), renal dysfunction (P=0.004), bacterial infections (P=0.007), and hepatocellular carcinoma (P=0.016) during the follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with CHC and cirrhosis, diabetes is an independent prognostic factor. Improving diabetes control may improve the outcome of cirrhosis.
Service d'Hépatologie, Université Paris Diderot and INSERM U773, Centre de Recherche Biomédicale Bichat-Beaujon CRB3, Hôpital Beaujon, AP-HP, Clichy, France.
Laure
L
Elkrief
Pascale
P
Chouinard
Noelle
N
Bendersky
David
D
Hajage
Béatrice
B
Larroque
Gérard
G
Babany
Blaise
B
Kutala
Claire
C
Francoz
Nathalie
N
Boyer
Richard
R
Moreau
François
F
Durand
Patrick
P
Marcellin
Pierre-Emmanuel
PE
Rautou
Dominique
D
Valla
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000821:virology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors