Association between HCV infection and diabetes type 2 in Egypt: is it time to split up?
OBJECTIVE
There is a conflicting evidence about the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes mellitus. The objective of this study was to assess this association in Egypt, the country with the highest HCV prevalence in the world.


METHODS
The source of data was from the Egypt Demographic and Health Survey conducted in 2008. Using multivariable logistic regression analyses to account for known confounders, the association was investigated at two levels']: (1) HCV exposure (HCV antibody status) and diabetes mellitus and (2) diabetes mellitus and chronic HCV infection (HCV RNA status) among HCV-exposed individuals.


RESULTS
We found no evidence for an association between HCV antibody status and diabetes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-1.19). However, among HCV-exposed individuals, we found an evidence for an association between diabetes and active HCV infection (adjusted OR = 2.44, 95% CI, 1.30-4.57).


CONCLUSIONS
Although it does not appear that HCV exposure and diabetes are linked, there might be an association between diabetes and chronic HCV infection. The HCV-diabetes relationship may be more complex than previously anticipated. Therefore, a call for an "amicable divorce" to the HCV-diabetes relationship could be premature.
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY. Electronic address: dfc2002@qatar-med.cornell.edu.
Diego F
DF
Cuadros
Department of Tropical Medicine and Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu.
F DeWolfe
FD
Miller
Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Nico
N
Nagelkerke
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medical College-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha, Qatar; Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA.
Laith J
LJ
Abu-Raddad
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015897:Comorbidity; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004534:Egypt / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies
Chronic infection; Diabetes; Egypt; Hepatitis C virus