Associations of chronic hepatitis C with... : Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (original) (raw)

Original Article: HEPATITIS C

Associations of chronic hepatitis C with metabolic and cardiac outcomes

Z. M. Younossi
M. Stepanova
F. Nader
Z. Younossi
E. Elsheikh

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics

(

)

647

652

March 2013

| DOI: 10.1111/apt.12234

SUMMARY

Background

Chronic hepatitis C virus (CH-C) infection is associated with metabolic conditions such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (DM) and may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Aim

To assess the association of CH-C with risk factors for cardiovascular diseases using US population data.

Methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) collected between 1999 and 2010 were used.

Results

Of 19 741 participants considered eligible for the study. Of this cohort, 173 individuals (0.88%) had detectable HCV RNA and were considered to have CH-C. Compared with controls, CH-C patients were predominantly African American (23.5% vs. 10.5%, P < 0.0001), men (66.6% vs. 46.1%, P = 0.0001), more likely to be between 45 and 55 years of age (41.9% vs. 20.4%, P = 0.0001), had higher rate of insulin resistance (44.1% vs. 31.1%, P = 0.0301), hypertension (40.1% vs. 28.9%, P = 0.0201), and history of smoking (76.2% vs. 29.9%, P < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, in addition to known risk factors for insulin resistance, CH-C was independently associated with the presence of insulin resistance [OR (95% CI) = 2.06 (1.19–3.57)], DM [OR = 2.31 (1.18–4.54)] and hypertension [OR = 2.06 (1.30–3.24)]. Independent predictors of cardiovascular diseases included older age, presence of obesity and smoking. CH-C was independently associated with congestive heart failure subtype of cardiovascular diseases but not ischaemic heart disease and stroke.

Conclusion

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is independently associated with presence of metabolic conditions (insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension) and congestive heart failure.