High content of lipid hydroperoxides in livers from patients with chronic hepatitis C

Hepatic lipid hydroperoxides, which are produced when reactive oxygen intermediates react with polyunsaturated lipids, were measured in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Eight patients with chronic persistent hepatitis (chronic persistent hepatitis group), 16 patients with chronic active hepatitis (chronic active hepatitis group), and 11 patients with cirrhosis (cirrhotic group) were included in the study. Measurements from ten patients without liver disease were used as controls. The lipid hydroperoxide levels in the chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, and cirrhotic groups were significantly higher than that in the controls (p < 0.05, p < 0.005, and p < 0.005, respectively). Among the patients with chronic hepatitis C, the lipid hydroperoxide levels in the chronic active hepatitis and cirrhotic groups were significantly higher than that in the chronic persistent hepatitis group (p < 0.05 in both groups). The activity and progression of liver disease, represented by the Histology Activity Index, were significantly correlated with the hepatic lipid hydroperoxide level (r = 0.654, p < 0.01). Our findings suggest that an increased hepatic lipid hydroperoxide level is closely related to the activity and progression of chronic hepatitis C.