Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Humanized NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull (hu-NSG) Mouse Model for HIV Replication and Latency Studies
Published on: January 7, 2019
Glucose abnormalities are an independent risk factor for nonresponse to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C
Albert Lecube1, Cristina Hernández, Rafael Simó
1Diabetes Research Unit, Endocrinology Division, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Objectives:
The influence of glucose abnormalities on the efficacy of antiviral treatment is unknown. This study investigated whether glucose abnormalities (impaired fasting glucose and type 2 diabetes) influence the response to antiviral therapy with interferon plus ribavirin in patients with chronic hepatitis C.
Methods:
A total of 178 treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with combination therapy were retrospectively studied. SVR was assessed after completing treatment. Fasting plasmatic glucose was measured prior to therapy.
Results:
Compared with nonresponders (N = 111), patients with SVR (N = 67) had lower plasma glucose (94.1 +/- 12.7 vs 104.4 +/- 25.8 mg/dL, P= 0.001) and a lower prevalence of glucose abnormalities (24.24%vs 44.14%, P= 0.012). The SVR rate was 45.13% in patients with normoglycemia (N = 113), 28.26% in patients with impaired fasting glucose (N = 46), and 15.78% in type 2 diabetic patients (N = 19) (P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression identified genotype 1 (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.01-2.41, P= 0.05), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase level (OR 6.41, 95% CI 1.86-22.07, P= 0.003), and presence of glucose abnormalities (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.04-5.20, P= 0.039) as being independently associated with the absence of an SVR. In addition, patients with glucose abnormalities (N = 65) showed a lower virological response rate when compared with a subgroup of normoglycemic patients (N = 65) matched for sex, age, and liver fibrosis (24.6%vs 44.6%, P= 0.001).
Conclusions:
Glucose abnormalities are an independent predictor of poor virological response to combined therapy in hepatitis C virus infected patients.
Related Concept Videos
Hyperglycemia
Hypoglycemia and Glucagon
Oral Hypoglycemic Agents: Biguanides and Glitazones
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
Hypoglycemia