P4.30 ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PROFILE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION

Abstract

Background/aims: The impact of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) virus infection on atherosclerosis is controversial. In this pilot clinical study, we examined whether HCV patients significantly differed in markers of subclinical atherosclerosis compared to patients with alcohol-related chronic liver disease. Methods: We enrolled 21 consecutive adult patients with HCV and 11 patients with alcohol-related chronic liver disease after detoxification from alcohol. Common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and brachial artery flow mediated vasodilation (FMD) by ultrasonography and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) by applanation tonometry were measured in all participants by a single trained operator, who was blind to clinical features of participants. Results: Compared with those with alcohol-related liver disease, patients with HCV had markedly lower FMD (4.57±1.50 vs. 9.84±3.60%, p<0.0001) (Table 1). They also had significantly lower total cholesterol level (4.60±1.34 vs. 5.87±1.40 mmol/L, p<0.05), lower serum liver enzymes (AST/ALT ratio: 0.87±0.3 vs. 1.26±0.6U/L, p<0.05; GGT: 54±42 vs. 137±117 U/L, p<0.01) and higher urea nitrogen (4.98±1.5 vs. 3.69±1.0 mmol/L, p<0.05). No significant differences were found in CIMT, cf-PWV, age, sex, body mass index, waist circumference, smoking status, blood pressure, serum triglycerides, creatinine, glucose and insulin resistance (as estimated by HOMA-IR score) between the two groups. Notably, as shown in Figure 1, the marked differences in FMD observed between the groups were only slightly weakened after adjustment for potential confounding variables. Conclusions: Our results suggest that chronic HCV infection is strongly associated with endothelial dysfunction.