Diabetes and Hepatitis C: A Two-Way Association

Abstract

Diabetes and hepatitis C infection are both prevalent diseases worldwide, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Most studies, but not all, have shown that patients with chronic hepatitis C are more prone to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to healthy controls, as well as when compared to patients with other liver diseases, including hepatitis B. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have revealed that patients with T2D may also be at higher risk for worse outcomes of their hepatitis C infection, including reduced rate of sustained virological response, progression to fibrosis and cirrhosis, and higher risk for development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, hepatitis C infection and mainly its treatment, interferon α, can trigger the development of type 1 diabetes. In this review, we discuss the existing data on this two-way association between diabetes and hepatitis C infection with emphasis on possible mechanisms. It remains to be determined whether the new curative therapies for chronic hepatitis C will improve outcomes in diabetic hepatitis C patients, and conversely whether treatment with Metformin will reduce complications from hepatitis C virus infection. We propose an algorithm for diabetes screening and follow-up in hepatitis C patients.

Sub-Clinical Thyroid Disorders in Patients With Hepatitis C Before and After Conventional Treatment

“…Thus this study confirms previous findings that reversibility of thyroid dysfunction after completion of interferon and ribavirin therapy in hepatitis C virus patients [20,21]. Statistically significant (p-0.003) association was observed between the existence of diabetes and end treatment response of HCV because a positive association between chronic HCV infection and DM has been consistently demonstrated across different ethnicities and geographic regions, in both developed and developing countries [22].…”

Diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis C with concomitant extrahepatic manifestations deserves a closer look

“…Also, patients with diabetes mellitus should be on regular monitoring for HCV infection. [10] HCV infection and kidney diseases HCV infection can cause kidney-related diseases including membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis and mixed cryoglobulinemia, leading to chronic kidney disease (CKD). About 36% of patients developed CKD after HCV infection, and 35% of CKD patients experienced rapid disease progression.…”

The Effect of Hepatitis C Virus Eradication with New Direct Acting Antivirals on Glucose Homeostasis in Non-Diabetic Egyptian Patients

“…Moreover, no studies tried to study the effect of HCV eradication on the Insulin Resistance (IR) and β cell function with subsequent development of DM [9]. Therefore, the relationship between HCV and DM was described as a two way association [10].…”