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Diabetes Mellitus Is Associated with Impaired Response to Antiviral Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

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Abstract

Insulin resistance may promote hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and has emerged as a cofactor in failure to achieve sustained viral response (SVR). Aims (1) To assess the association of diabetes mellitus (DM) in HCV patients to the severity of hepatic fibrosis and to the response to antiviral treatment. (2) To assess the safety of pegylated interferon and ribavirin combination therapy (Peg IFN/RBV) in diabetic HCV patients. Methods HCV diabetics (n = 61) were identified. A 2:1 matching control group was used to identify independent factors of advanced fibrosis and treatment failure. Results Compared to HCV non-diabetics, HCV diabetics were more likely to have steatosis (P < 0.0001) and advanced fibrosis (P = 0.003). Patients’ age, Caucasian ethnicity, obesity, and histologic activity index were independently associated with advanced fibrosis (P < 0.05). Only 23% of HCV diabetics achieved SVR compared to 46% of HCV non-diabetics (P = 0.003). DM, genotype 1, high baseline viral load, and African-American ethnicity were independently associated with less SVR (P < 0.05). Significant adverse events were more common in HCV diabetics compared to HCV non-diabetics (P = 0.001). Side effects did not increase in patients receiving PEG IFN/RBV and insulin sensitizers. Conclusion DM was associated with impaired virologic response to PEG IFN/RBV in HCV patients. Adverse events during therapy were more frequent in diabetic compared to non-diabetic HCV patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Avera Center for Liver Disease, Transplant Institute, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, 1001 East 21st Street, Suite 303, Sioux Falls, 57105, South Dakota, USA

    Hesham M. Elgouhari

  2. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Claudia O. Zein, Ariel E. Feldstein & Nizar N. Zein

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Ibrahim Hanouneh

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  1. Hesham M. Elgouhari
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  2. Claudia O. Zein
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  4. Ariel E. Feldstein
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  5. Nizar N. Zein
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Correspondence to Hesham M. Elgouhari.

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Elgouhari, H.M., Zein, C.O., Hanouneh, I. et al. Diabetes Mellitus Is Associated with Impaired Response to Antiviral Therapy in Chronic Hepatitis C Infection. Dig Dis Sci 54, 2699–2705 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0683-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-008-0683-2

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