Background Previous studies have reported that hepatitis C virus infection may increase the risk of thyroid disease and even thyroid cancer, but quantitative assessments of risk were rare and the results were not consistent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of hepatitis C virus infection on thyroid disease and thyroid cancer, and to provide clues to explore their relationship. Methods A literature retrieval was performed up to August 20, 2021 in the database of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wang Fang. The risk of hepatitis C virus for thyroid disease or thyroid cancer was expressed with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analysis was used to explore the source of heterogeneity. Eight articles (Five studies published as articles and three as abstracts) were included in this meta-analysis, with a total of 5398 controls and 1925 cases of hepatitis C. Results The results of a meta-analysis found that hepatitis C virus infection was significantly associated with an increased risk of thyroid disease (sum OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.54–2.10, P < 0.001, I2 = 74.3%) and thyroid cancer (sum OR = 16.74, 95% CI = 4.78–58.55, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%). Hepatitis C virus infection may increase the risk of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. Conclusion More work is needed in the future to establish a causal role; however, an awareness of the possibility of increased risk of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer may lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes in patients with hepatitis C.
Exam 2: Hepatitis C Virus Infection Is Associated With Increased Cardiovascular Mortality: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies
