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Serum visfatin is correlated with disease severity and metabolic syndrome in chronic hepatitis C infection
Author(s) -
Huang JeeFu,
Huang ChungFeng,
Yu MingLung,
Dai ChiaYen,
Huang ChingI,
Yeh MingLun,
Hsieh MengHsuan,
Yang JengFu,
Hsieh MingYen,
Lin ZuYau,
Chen ShinnChern,
Chuang WanLong
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2010.06438.x
Subject(s) - medicine , metabolic syndrome , ribavirin , odds ratio , gastroenterology , confidence interval , hepatitis c virus , pegylated interferon , viral load , hepatitis c , fibrosis , immunology , obesity , virus
Background and Aim: Cytokines activation is a common feature in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection. Visfatin, as a recently‐recognized adipocytokine, may correlate with metabolic abnormalities. We aimed to elucidate the characteristics of visfatin in CHC patients. Methods: This retrospective study included 102 treatment‐naïve CHC patients and 97 sex‐/age‐matched healthy adults. Serum visfatin levels were examined by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay test. The correlation between visfatin and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in terms of virological, metabolic, and histopathological profiles was analyzed. The impact of visfatin on the treatment response to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (PEGIFN/RBV) therapy was also assessed. Results: The visfatin level was correlated significantly with fibrosis scores (r = 0.23, P = 0.02) in CHC patients. A significant higher visfatin level was observed in CHC patients with histological activity index scores of mild and more ( P = 0.01) and advanced fibrosis ( P = 0.04). The mean visfatin level (0.81 ± 0.28 log ng/mL) of 26 CHC patients with metabolic syndrome was significantly lower than their counterparts (0.95 ± 0.30 log ng/mL) ( P = 0.03). There was no significant correlation between visfatin and HCV genotypes, viral load, and treatment response to PEGIFN/RBV therapy. Multiple logistic regression analyses demonstrated that metabolic syndrome was the leading negative variable (odds ratio = 0.09, 95% confidence interval = 0.02–0.46, P = 0.004) associated with high visfatin level, followed by advanced fibrosis (odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.06–6.78, P = 0.03). Conclusions: Serum visfatin was correlated with disease severity and metabolic syndrome in CHC patients.