Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at diabetic clinic B.V. Hospital/Q.A.M.C Bahawalpur from December 1st, 2004 to March 15th, 2005. Background: Diabetes mellitus and hepatitis C infections are common and emerging problems of the society. Either diabetes mellitus is common in chronic hepatitis C patients as reported initially by Ellison and co-workers or hepatitis C infection is more frequent in diabetes mellitus. We want to study the frequency of hepatitis c infection in diabetes mellitus. Objectives: To study the frequency of hepatitis C infection in diabetic patients and to note any risk factors of diabetic patients predisposing to hepatitis C infection. Designs: A cross-sectionalObservational-descriptive analytic study. Subjects and Methods: A total of 250 consecutive diabetic patients of either sex were compared with 6574 blood donors for hepatitis c infection .They were evaluated for hepatitis C infection by using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA-3) which is an anti-HCV anti body test. On basis of this test, the patients were divided into two groups, anti-HCV +ve and anti-HCV -ye. Different variables of these patients were studied and compared in these two groups Variables studied were as follows:- Age, Sex, BMI, Mode of therapy area of their residence(rural or urban) Duration of diabetes mellitus, Blood pressure, Nephropathy and Control of diabetes mellitus. Results: Among a total of 250 patients, 120 (48%) were male and 130 (52%) were female. Two hundred and forty-four (97.6%) patients were of type-II DM and 06 (2.4%) patients were of type-I DM. 22 (8.8%) patients were on insulin therapy while 228 (91.2%) were on oral hypoglycemic agents. Anti-HCV test was positive in 69 (27.6%) diabetic patients as compared to blood donors 41 (0.62%). In anti-HCV positive group, longer duration of diabetic mellitus (15yrs 15.94%), poor control of diabetic mellitus(87%), insulin therapy(17.39%) hypertension(91.3%) and nephropathy(94.2%) were the significant vari ables while BMI, age, sex and whether they were belonging to either rural or urban area were not significant in both the groups. Conclusion: Hepatitis C infection is common in diabetic patients as compared to control group (27.6% vs 0.62%). Out of diabetic patients HCV infection is more common with longer duration of diabetic mellitus, poor control of diabetic mellitus, hypertension, nephropathy and insulin therapy.
Strategy for the Micro-Elimination of Hepatitis C among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus—A Hospital-Based Experience