Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with an increased incidence of insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus. Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with faster progression of fibrosis in these patients. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of diabetes on the severity of hepatic fibrosis in patients followed for CHC.

Methods

This is a retrospective study conducted between January 2017 and December 2020 including all patients followed for CHC. The evaluation of hepatic fibrosis was performed by measuring hepatic elasticity by the Fibroscan. Significant fibrosis was defined by a fibrosis score ≥ F2. Advanced fibrosis was defined by a score F3-F4.

Results

44 patients were included; 28 women (63.6%) and 16 men (36.4%) with an average age of 49 years (16–81 years). Diabetes was present in 13 patients (29.5%). Metabolic syndrome was associated to diabetes in all patients. Nine patients were treated by oral anti-diabetics. Others were treated by insulin injections. The level of glycated hemoglobin was < 7% in all patients. Significant fibrosis ≥ F2 was found in 7 patients (53.8%). Advanced fibrosis F3-F4 was observed in 3 patients (23.1%). And three patients had a score of fibrosis F0-F1. The analytical study did not show a significant difference in hepatic elasticity between diabetic patients (mean elasticity of 9.15 Kpa) and non-diabetic patients (mean elasticity of 8.18 Kpa); P = 0.630.

Conclusion

In our study, diabetes was found in a third of patients with chronic hepatitis C without an impact on the severity of the hepatic fibrosis.