Adult onset diabetes mellitus in hepatitis C virus infection

ABSTRACT

There is growing evidence to suggest an association between hepatitis C virus [HCV] infection and diabetes, two common disorders that cause devastating long-term complications in a signficant number of patients. Several reports have found a high prevelance of HCV infection among diabetic patients. Additionally, a high prevelance of diabetes has also been reported in HCV- infected patients in comparison with other liver diseases. On the other hand some authors have not observed an association between HCV infection and diabetes, while others found that diabetes mellitus type 2 occurred with increasing frequency among patients with hepatitis C and this was associated with family history of diabetes mellitus. HCV seropositivity among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is higher than in the general population. Aim of work Is to study the association between HCV infection and diabetes mellitus. This study included 410 consecutive patients with chronic liver diseases. They were attending the outpatient clinic of the National Hepatol-ogy and Tropical Medicine Research Institute and Aswan Teaching Hospital in the period from May 2004 to July 2005. Their ages ranged from 20-60 years. They were 304 males and 106 females. Patients were classified into 3 groups. Group A consisted of 220 non cirrhotic patients with HCV +ve. Group B consisted of 110 cirrhotic patients with HCV +ve. Group C consisted of 80 patients all are -ve for HCV Ab. Type2 diabetes was diagnosed as a fasting plasma glucose level [7.0mmol/L [126 mg/L] or on treatment with oral hypoglycaemic agents. It was found that distribution of diabetes mellitus between group A and B [HCV +ve] and group C [HCV Ab -ve] were 21.21%, 27.27%, 12.5% in respect order. There were no significant difference between AST levels, ALT level, BMI and diabetes mellitus. we have found an association between diabetes mellitus and HCV infection. It remains to be determined whether an HCV infection leads to diabetes mellitus or vice versa