T. Konrad et al., Severity of HCV-induced liver damage alters glucose homeostasis in noncirrhotic patients with chronic HCV infection, DIGESTION, 62(1), 2000, pp. 52-59
Backgroond/Aims: To investigate the link between hepatitis C infection and
glucose intolerance, we measured insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness
and beta-cell secretion in noncirrhotic HCV-infected patients with normal
glucose tolerance according to WHO criteria as assessed by oral glucose tol
erance tests. Methods: Glucose, insulin and C-peptide data from frequently
sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests were analyzed using the minimal
modeling technique for glucose and C-peptide to determine insulin sensitiv
ity, glucose effectiveness, first and second phase insulin secretion in non
cirrhotic HCV-infected patients (n = 10) and in healthy control subjects (n
= 10). Histological activity index (HAI) as well as the extent of fibrosis
were evaluated by scoring liver biopsies. Results: Insulin sensitivity (2.
72 +/- 1.63 vs. 6.84 +/- 1.20 10(-4) min(-1) per mu U/ml, p < 0.01) and glu
cose effectiveness (2.29 +/- 0.45 vs. 2.89 +/- 0.39 10(-2) min(-1), p<0.05)
ere significantly lower in patients with HCV-induced liver disease. Insuli
n sensitivity was negatively related to serum alanine aminotransferase (r =
-0.47, p < 0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase concentrations (r = -0.65,
p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a strong relation
of insulin sensitivity with fibrosis score and HAI (r = -0.82, p < 0.02 for
both). Second phase insulin secretion was significantly enhanced in HCV-in
fected patients (14.30 +/- 2.04 vs. 8.29 +/- 1.65 min(-1), p < 0.05). Concl
usions: HCV-infected patients with normal glucose tolerance are insulin and
glucose resistant. The impairment of glucose tolerance appears to be close
ly related with the severity of HCV-induced liver damage. Copyright (C) 200
0 S. Karger AG, Basel.