CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the serum insulin level in viral hepatitis B and C patientsat different stages of disease. Study Design: Observational study. Period: Twelve months.Setting: Biochemistry Department BMSI, JPMC Karachi. Methods: The diagnosed patientsfor hepatitis B and C virus infection with and without cirrhosis were included. Patients wereselected after diagnosis of the disease by ELISA method. Subjects diagnosed as negativewere enrolled as controls in the study. Serum insulin estimation was done by ELISA and bloodglucose by Hexokinase method, prothrombin time by one stage (coagulation) method and liverenzymes were assayed was by enzymatic (Kinetic) method. For paired and correlation dataanalysis, SPSS 10.0 version for windows was used. For all comparisons, upto 0.05 P value wasconsidered significant. Results: The insulin, fasting blood glucose and albumin mean values ascompared to control were found significant statistically (P<0.05). However in all groups AST andALT mean values found statistically highly significant (P<0.01), which indicates liver damageprogression with consequent increase in serum insulin levels in these patients. Conclusion:Tests for early analysis of serum insulin levels should be performed in those cases that arediagnosed as hepatitis B or C positive, along with liver function tests, to reduce the increasedrate of morbidity and mortality in co-morbid condition.