Insulin Resistance in Chronic Hepatitis C Non Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Background: Patients with chronic hepatitis have impaired glucose metabolism with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, this hyperinsulinemia has been shown to be due to decreased insulin catabolism rather than increased pancreatic insulin secretion. We aimed to evaluate insulin resistance in non-diabetic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Subjects and methods: The study was a case-control study conducted in Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology Department King Abdullah University Hospital. 60 patients and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. The patients were classified into two groups: Group A: 30 patients with chronic hepatitis C infection were selected with positive HCV RNA in serum for at least 6 months; Patients were not receiving anti-viral therapy at the time of sampling. They showed no evidence of cirrhosis. Group B: 30 patients with HCV related liver cirrhosis. They were divided according to Child Pugh score; twenty patients with HCV related compensated liver cirrhosis (Child A). Ten patients with HCV related decompensated liver cirrhosis (Child B and C). Group C: The control group: included 30 healthy individuals. All patients and controls were subjected to the following: Liver function tests: Alanine transaminase (ALT), Aspartate transaminase (AST), total and direct bilirubin, total protein, serum albumin. Prothrombin time (PT) & international normalization ratio (INR). Renal function tests: Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Na, K. Complete blood count. Alpha fetoprotein (αFP). Diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C infection was based on positive HCV by PCR, persistent elevation of liver enzymes more than 6 months and liver biopsy for some of the patients. Anti-hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV Ab) using third generation enzyme linked immune sorbant assay (ELISA) test., Hepatitis B virus (HBV): HBVsAg., Overnight fasting and two hours postprandial blood glucose level. Fasting serum insulin of everyone. Insulin resistance was determined via the Homeostasis Model assessment (HOMA-IR) by the following equation: - Insulin resistance: Fasting insulin (μu/ml) x Fasting glucose (mmol/L) 22.5 An index value of > 2.5 was defined as IR. This cutoff value was chosen because studies suggested that a HOMA-IR of 2.4-3.0 is probably suitable to define IR in CHC patients. Blood samples were collected after 12 hours of overnight fasting. Results: We found that out of 30 CHC and 30 LC (20 compensated LC, 10 de compensated LC) 8 (26.7%); 8 (40%) patients and 5(50%) respectively had HOMA-IR levels greater than 2.5, which is consistent with IR diagnosis. Decompensated cirrhotic patients showed higher frequency of IR compared to CHC and compensated cirrhotic patients. Conclusion: In chronic hepatitis C patients, HOMA-IR, fasting serum insulin and fasting blood glucose were significantly higher than healthy controls (p <0.0001).