Hepatitis C Viral (HCV) Infection as a novel risk factor for severe coronary artery disease: A Prospective Angiographic Study

Abstract

The link between coronary artery disease (CHD) and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been shown in many studies. However, the effect of chronic HCV infection on the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) has not been determined so; the aim of the present study is to determine the effect of HCV infection on the severity and the pattern of CAD in Egyptian patients. Patients and methods: This study group included two groups of patients with angiographically documented CAD; 25 HCV seropositive patients as test group and another 25 HCV seronegative patients as control group. Both groups were comparable as regard, age, sex, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, and smoking. A detailed qualitative coronary angiographic analysis and SYNTAX score were used to assess the extent and severity of CAD. Results: The presence of total occlusion was significantly higher in the HCV seropositive group (p < 0.05) and the SYNTAX score was higher (14.86 ± 6.64 vs. 10.86 ± 7.28, p < 0.05). After adjustment, HCV seropositivity still represented an independent predictor for severity of coronary atherosclerosis demonstrated by higher SYNTAX score (p < 0.05). Conclusion: HCV infection is an independent predictor for severe coronary atherosclerosis, as demonstrated by higher syntax score. It also associated with higher incidence of totally occluded coronaries.