An Association between Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: What Is the Connection?
Authors: Graeme J.M. Alexander
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Editorials17 October 2000An Association between Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: What Is the Connection?Graeme J.M. Alexander, MA, MD, FRCPGraeme J.M. Alexander, MA, MD, FRCPUniversity of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine; Cambridge CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom (Alexander)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-8-200010170-00018 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) and type 2 diabetes mellitus cause devastating long-term complications in a significant minority of affected patients. A link between the two disorders would not be surprising: Chronic HCV infection may cause cirrhosis, which, through insulin resistance, predisposes patients to diabetes mellitus. Moreover, both disorders are common. Recent cross-sectional studies performed worldwide suggest that they are indeed closely linked.What is the evidence? From the hepatologist's viewpoint, type 2 diabetes mellitus seems to be more common in HCV-infected persons. Allison and coworkers (1) found that among patients with cirrhosis awaiting transplantation, those who were infected ...References1. Allison ME, Wreghitt T, Palmer CR, Alexander GJ. Evidence for a link between hepatitis C virus infection and diabetes mellitus in a cirrhotic population. J Hepatol. 1994;21:1135-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Grimbert S, Valensi P, Levy-Marchal C, Perret G, Richardet JP, Raffoux C, et al . High prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with chronic hepatitis C. A case–control study. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 1996;20:544-8. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. el-Zayadi AR, Selim OE, Hamdy H, Dabbous H, Ahdy H, Moniem SA. Association of chronic hepatitis C infection and diabetes mellitus. Trop Gastroenterol. 1998;19:141-4. 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Hepatitis C virus core protein induces hepatic steatosis in transgenic mice. J Gen Virol. 1997;78:1527-31. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar17. Wong VS, Wight DG, Palmer CR, Alexander GJ. Fibrosis and other histological features in chronic hepatitis C virus infection: a statistical model. J Clin Pathol. 1996;49:465-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar18. Hourigan LF, Macdonald GA, Purdie D, Whitehall VH, Shorthouse C, Clouston A, et al . Fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C correlates significantly with body mass index and steatosis. Hepatology. 1999;29:1215-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar19. Fujie H, Yotsuyanagi H, Moriya K, Shintani Y, Tsutsumi T, Takayama T, et al . Steatosis and intrahepatic hepatitis C virus in chronic hepatitis. J Med Virol. 1999;59:141-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine; Cambridge CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom (Alexander)Current Author Address: Graeme J.M. Alexander, MA, MD, FRCP, Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 157, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoPrevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Persons with Hepatitis C Virus Infection in the United States Shruti H. Mehta , Frederick L. Brancati , Mark S. Sulkowski , Steffanie A. Strathdee , Moyses Szklo , and David L. 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