Insulin resistance and hepatitis C virus: a case-control study of non-obese, non-alcoholic and non-steatotic hepatitis virus carriers with persistently normal serum aminotransferase

Background.Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become the global “epidemic” with an estimated 123 million people currently infected worldwide. As the same time diabetes is also rapidly emerging as a global health care problem that threatens to reach pandemic levels by 2030.Objective.To investigate the magnitude of HCV infection in type II diabetes as compared to controls.Methodology.A case control study design was conducted at Jimma University Specialized Hospital from May to June 2010. A total of 604 study subjects were included in this study. Sociodemographic and risk factor data were collected by questionnaire. From serum sample, HCVAb screening was done by rapid antibody screening test. Liver functioning tests and total cholesterol tests were done by Dr. Lange LP 800 spectrophotometer.Results.The prevalence of HCV in type II diabetes and nondiabetic controls was 9.9% and 3.3%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, HCV seropositives have high risk of developing diabetes as compared with seronegatives (AOR = 2.997, 95% CI: (1.08, 8.315)).Conclusion.In this study, we found a positive association between past HCV infection and type II diabetes. As we did not perform HCV RNA test, we could not assess the association with HCV viremia.

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Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection. A case-control study of blood donors in the Trent Region (UK)

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800051293 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 112 (3) ◽

pp. 595-601 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

K. R. Neal ◽

D. A. Jones ◽

D. Killey ◽

V. James

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatitis C Virus ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Blood Transfusion ◽

Blood Donors ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Case Control ◽

Hcv Infection ◽

History Of ◽

Control Study

SUMMARYThe introduction of screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) by the National Blood Transfusion Service identified donors who had acquired HCV infection. We undertook a case-control study amongst blood donors in the Trent Region to determine risks for HCV infection. A total of 74 blood donors confirmed positive for hepatitis C infection and 150 age, sex and donor venue matched controls were included in the study. Fifty-three percent of hepatitis C infected blood donors reported previous use of injected drugs compared to no controls; relative risk (RR) not estimatable (lower limit 95% CI = 20). Other risk factors were a history of: receipt of a blood transfusion or blood products RR = 3·6 (95% CI 1·5–8·3), having been a ‘health care worker’ RR = 2·8 (95% CI 1·1–7·6), tattooing RR = 3·3 (95% CI 1·2–8·7), and an association with having been born abroad RR = 3·2 (95% CI 1·1–9·5). No risk was shown for a history of multiple sexual partners, ear piercing or acupuncture. Injecting drug use explains more than 50% of hepatitis C infections in blood donors, a group who are less likely to have injected drugs than the general population.

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