As
reported in the June 2007 American Journal of Gastroenterology, researchers
conducted a study to elucidate the link between type 2 diabetes and viral hepatitis
infections, especially HCV.
The
authors performed a cross-sectional analysis of a computer-sampling survey among
10,975 participants (aged 40-65 years) in an area endemic for HBV and HCV infections
in Taiwan; out of this group, 9,932 eligible participants were selected for further
analysis.
Results
• 13.1% of participants were
seropositive for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), 6.5% had anti-HCV antibodies, and
4.8% had detectable HCV viremia.
•
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 12.5%
•
The prevalence of HCV viremia was significantly different in subjects
with and without type 2 diabetes (6.9% vs 4.5%, respectively; P < 0.001).
• Anti-HCV antibody seropositivity
showed borderline significance (7.8% vs 6.3%; P = 0.047).
•
There was no difference between HCV genotypes 1 and 2 in the association
with diabetes.
• The
prevalence of HBsAg positivity did not differ between subjects with and without
diabetes (12.5% vs 13.9%; P= 0.19).
•
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among subjects with HCV viremia (18.0%)
was significantly higher than that among HBsAg positive subjects (11.4%; P = 0.001)
and those negative for both HBV and HCV (12.5%; P= 0.001).
•
Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that HCV viremia was
the most significant factor associated with type 2 diabetes, followed by male
sex, hypertension, body mass index, and age.
Conclusion
"HBV
infection did not increase the association with type 2 diabetes mellitus,"
the authors concluded. "A significant mutual link between type 2 diabetes
and HCV viremia existed in this HBV/HCV endemic area. There was no HCV genotype-specific
difference between HCV genotype 1 and 2 in the association with type 2 diabetes."
07/17/07
Reference JF
Huang, CY Dai, SJ Hwang, and others. Hepatitis C viremia increases the association
with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a hepatitis B and C endemic area: an epidemiological
link with virological implication. American Journal of Gastroenterology
102(6): 1237-1243. June 2007.
