ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between insulin resistance and the response to IFN-alpha and ribavirin in pediatric patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with chronic hepatitis C (mean age: 12.5 ± 1.96 years, M/F:3.33) were included in the study. Fasting glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels, together with HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, and QUICKI values, were assessed. The association between those parameters and treatment response was determined. RESULTS: Five (19.2%) of the 26 patients analyzed (2 [21.4%] with treatment response and 3 [16.6%] with no treatment response) had insulin resistance (p=1.00). There were no significant differences between the patients with and without treatment response with respect to fasting glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels or HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, and QUICKI values (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: No significant association was establihed between insulin resistance and response to IFN-alpha and ribavirin, in children with chronic hepatitis C.
