SERUM-CHOLESTEROL AND CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C

Total serum cholesterol levels have been studied in 100 patients with histological diagnoses of chronic hepatitis B and 100 nifh chronic hep atitis C, all without cirrhosis, and in two age- and sex-matched contr ol groups (B and C), Mean serum cholesterol levels of the groups were compared also in relation to sex, liver function, duration of the dise ase, alcohol intake, body mass index, liver enzymes, presence of liver steatosis and severity of the liver disease on the basis of the histo logical activity index. The percentages of patients with serum cholest erol level <150 mg/dl and >240 mg/dl were also calculated, The mean se rum cholesterol level was significantly lower in hepatitis C: 176 mg/d l vs 194 mg/dl of hepatitis B (p=0.004) and 198 of control C (p=0.000) , Twenty eight hepatitis C patients had serum cholesterol <150 mg/dl v s 10 with hepatitis B (p=0.001). In multivariate linear regression ana lysis, only the type of virus infection was independent related to ser um cholesterol level (p=0.0063).