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Detectable HCV Is Associated with Altered Serum Triglyceride and Cholesterol Levels

By Liz Highleyman

Research increasingly indicates a relation between chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and metabolic abnormalities such as obesity and insulin resistance.

In a study published in the July 2008 Journal of Hepatology, researchers from Taiwan looked at associations between HCV viremia and serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

The investigators conducted a large community-based study enrolling 11,239 residents in an area endemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV infection in southern Taiwan. Overall, 703 participants (6.3%) were seropositive for antibodies against HCV (anti-HCV), 1536 (13.7%) were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive, 84 (0.7%) were both anti-HCV and HBsAg positive, and 9084 (80.8%) were negative for both HCV and HBV.

Results

• By multivariate logistic analyses, the independent factors significantly associated with elevated serum cholesterol level were:

• Older age;
• Female sex;
• Absence of diabetes;
• Anti-HCV or HBsAg positivity;
• Elevated triglyceride level.

• The independent factors significantly associated with elevated serum triglyceride level were:

• Male sex;
• Presence of diabetes;
• Anti-HCV andr HBsAg negativity;
• Higher body mass index (BMI);
• Elevated cholesterol level.

• Of 642 anti-HCV positive subjects who underwent HCV viral load testing using a standardized PCR assay, 478 (74.5%) had detectable HCV RNA.

• By multivariate logistic analyses, the independent factors associated with elevated serum cholesterol level were:

• Female sex;
• Elevated serum triglyceride level;
• Absence of diabetes;
• Detectable HCV RNA.

• The independent factors associated with elevated serum triglyceride levels were:

• Elevated serum cholesterol level;
• Presence of diabetes;
• Higher BMI;
• Negative HCV RNA.

• Diabetes, lower cholesterol, and higher triglyceride levels were independent factors associated with detectable HCV RNA.

Based on the result of this large-scale community study, the authors wrote, "HCV viremia appears to be associated with lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which implies that HCV itself might play a significant role on serum lipid profile of patients with chronic HCV infection."

Hepatobiliary Division, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Faculty of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

8/01/08

Reference
CY Dai, WL Chuang, CK Ho, MY Hsieh, and others. Associations between hepatitis C viremia and low serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels: A community-based study. Journal of Hepatology 49(1): 9-16. July 2008.
(Abstract)


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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