Frontiers in Endocrinology (Sep 2015)

Diabetes and hepatitis C : A two-way association

  • Sara Salehi Hammerstad,
  • Sara Salehi Hammerstad,
  • shira Frankel Grock,
  • Hanna eLee,
  • Alia eHasham,
  • Nina eSundaram,
  • Yaron eTomer,
  • Yaron eTomer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2015.00134
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6

Abstract

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Diabetes and hepatitis C infection are both prevalent diseases worldwide, and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Most studies, but not all, have shown that patients with chronic hepatitis C are more prone to develop type 2 diabetes compared to healthy controls, as well as when compared to patients with other liver diseases including hepatitis B. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have revealed that patients with type 2 diabetes may also be at higher risk for worse outcomes of their hepatitis C infection, including reduced rate of sustained virologic response, progression to fibrosis and cirrhosis, and higher risk for development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, hepatitis C infection and mainly its treatment, interferon α, can trigger the development of type 1 diabetes. In this review we discuss the existing data on this two-way association between diabetes and hepatitis C infection with emphasis on possible mechanisms. It remains to be determined whether the new curative therapies for chronic hepatitis C will improve outcomes in diabetic hepatitis C patients, and conversely whether treatment with Metformin will reduce complications from HCV infection. We propose an algorithm for diabetes screening and follow-up in hepatitis C patients.

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