Insulin Resistance and beta cell function in patients with chronic hepatitis and impaired glucose tolerance

HBV and HCV infections play a vital role in the pathogenesis of DM in patients with hepatitis B and C. The aim of this study is to determine insulin resistance and β cells function in such patients suffering from chronic hepatitis B and C with impaired glucose resistance during a period of 3 years. In 560 glucose intolerant patients divided in to three groups (hepatitis B, C and seronegative), participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, FBS, HOMA-IR, β cell function were evaluated at initiation and after 3 years of follow up. The results were compared usually the t and paired t test, X2, McNemar and ANOVA, Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficient tests. Participants were 64.9% female and 35.1% male average age was 50.8±12.7 years at the initial evaluation. Two were HCV positive and eight were HBV positive in the first phase. There were no meaningful differences between the FBS, HOMA-IR and β cell function groups. After three years, six of them had HCV positive serology results and six others had become HBV positive there was no meaningful difference between their FBS, HOMA-IR and β cell function. Evaluations their were positive in the first assessment, such as Blood glucose changes and β cell function in persons, HCV, HBV had no meaningful statistical change after three years, whereas insulin resistance index showed a meaningful reduction as compared to those from the beginning of study (4±2 to 3.1±2.2 mIU/L, p<0.05). In general, persons that were negative for HBV & HCV in both stages of the study, demonstrated meaningful changes in different degrees of insulin resistance after three years (22.5% of persons sensitive to insulin became resistant and 49.6% became sensitive, P<0.0001). These changes were not observed in seropositive patients. Seronegative patients showed significant reduction in insulin resistance index and β cell function, after 3 years, whereas serapositive ones did not.