Hepatic steatosis in Iranian patients with chronic hepatitis C

ABSTRACT

To evaluate the frequency and severity of fibrosis, and also the association of various viral and host factors of steatosis in Iranian patients with hepatitis C [CHC]. Eighty treatment-na‹ve CHC patients, age 37.6 +/- 11.77 years, were studied. Percutaneous liver biopsy was performed for all patients. Based on pathology reports, patients were divided into two groups with and without significant steatosis. Hepatitis C virus RNA [HCV-RNA], various viral and host factors, and biochemical findings and genotyping of HCV were compared in the two groups. Of the 80 patients, 42 [52.5%] had pathologic evidence of significant steatosis. The mean serum level of cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, and Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase as well as the mean body mass index, viral load, stage of fibrosis and frequency of genotype 3 were significantly higher in the patients with than those without steatosis [p < 0.05]. In multivariate analysis, only genotype 3 and viral load had significant association with steatosis. In patients with genotype 3 infection, the mean viral load in those with and without steatosis was 1,623,357 +/- 833,543.46 and 821,262.1 +/- 924,480 copies/ml, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant [p = 0.009]. The mean viral load in patients with genotype 1 infection was not significantly different between the two groups. The mean stage of fibrosis was higher in the group that had significant steatosis [p < 0.05]. Steatosis is a common finding in Iranian patients with CHC. Infection with HCV genotype 3 and high viral load in these patients are associated with significant steatosis