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High prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in diabetic patients
R Simó1, C Hernández, J Genescà
1Department of Endocrinology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
Insights
Diabetic patients have a significantly higher prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection compared to blood donors. Abnormal liver function tests were common in infected diabetic individuals, suggesting mandatory HCV screening.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Endocrinology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Diabetes mellitus is a global health concern.
- Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects liver health and can have systemic implications.
- The interplay between diabetes and HCV infection requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of HCV infection among diabetic patients.
- To identify epidemiological and clinical factors associated with HCV infection in this population.
- To assess the clinical significance of HCV infection in diabetic individuals.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 176 diabetic patients and 6,172 blood donors.
- Serological testing for anti-HCV using ELISA and immunoblot assays for confirmation.
- Analysis of demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables in relation to HCV status.
Main Results:
- HCV infection prevalence was significantly higher in diabetic patients (11.5%) versus blood donors (2.5%).
- No specific epidemiological risk factors for HCV were identified in the diabetic cohort.
- Abnormal liver function tests (LFTs) were significantly more frequent in HCV-positive diabetic patients (72.3%) compared to HCV-negative ones (24.7%).
Conclusions:
- Diabetic patients exhibit a high prevalence of HCV infection.
- Abnormal LFTs in diabetic patients warrant mandatory HCV testing.
- HCV may play a direct role in the pathogenesis of diabetes, given the lack of identified epidemiological links.
Objective:
To evaluate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in diabetic patients and to investigate the influence of several epidemiological and clinical factors on HCV infection.
Research Design And Methods:
A total of 176 consecutive diabetic patients were compared with 6,172 blood donors, matched by recognized risk factors to acquire HCV infection. Serologic testing for anti-HCV was done using a second-generation commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an immunoblot assay was performed in anti-HCV positive samples to confirm HCV specificity. Diabetic patients were divided in two groups according to their HCV antibody status and analyzed for the following variables: age, sex, type of diabetes, duration of disease, mode of therapy, late diabetic complications, previous blood transfusions, intravenous drug addiction, hospital admissions, major surgical procedures, and liver function tests (LFTs).
Results:
A higher prevalence of HCV infection was observed in diabetic patients in comparison with blood donors (11.5 vs. 2.5%; P < 0.001; odds ratio 4.39; 95% Cl2.61-7.24). We did not detect any particular epidemiological factor for HCV infection in anti-HCV positive diabetic patients. In these patients, abnormal LFTs were observed in 72.3%, compared with only 24.7% of anti-HCV negative diabetic patients (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
A high prevalence of HCV infection was detected in diabetic patients, and most of anti-HCV positive patients presented with abnormal LFTs. Therefore, testing for HCV infection of diabetic patients with an abnormal LFT is mandatory. The lack of any particular epidemiological factor for HCV infection in our diabetic population suggests that HCV may have a direct role in the development of diabetes.