Abstract | OBJECTIVES: METHODS: Overall, 803 subjects were enrolled: (A) 326 patients with liver biopsy-proven treatment naive CHC (175 with and 151 without steatosis); (B) 477 age and gender matched controls, including 292 healthy subjects without steatosis (B1) and 185 with NAFLD (B2). Carotid atherosclerosis (CA), assessed by high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography, was categorized as either intima-media thickness (IMT: >1mm) or plaques (≥ 1.5mm). RESULTS: CHC patients had a higher prevalence of CA than controls (53.7% vs 34.3%; p<0.0001). Younger CHC (<50 years) had a higher prevalence of CA than controls (34.0% vs 16.0%; p<0.04). CHC patients without steatosis had a higher prevalence of CA than B1 controls (26.0% vs 14.8%; p<0.02). CHC with steatosis had a higher prevalence of CA than NAFLD patients (77.7% vs 57.8%, p<0.0001). Viral load was associated with serum CRP and fibrinogen levels; steatosis with metabolic syndrome, HOMA-IR, hyperhomocysteinemia and liver fibrosis. Viral load and steatosis were independently associated with CA. Diabetes and metabolic syndrome were associated with plaques. CONCLUSION: HCV infection is a risk factor for earlier and facilitated occurrence of CA via viral load and steatosis which modulate atherogenic factors such as inflammation and dysmetabolic milieu.
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Authors | Luigi E Adinolfi, Luciano Restivo, Rosa Zampino, Barbara Guerrera, Amedeo Lonardo, Laura Ruggiero, Francesco Riello, Paola Loria, Anna Florio |
Journal | Atherosclerosis
(Atherosclerosis)
Vol. 221
Issue 2
Pg. 496-502
(Apr 2012)
ISSN: 1879-1484 [Electronic] Ireland |
PMID | 22385985
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Copyright | Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. |
Topics |
- Adult
- Age Factors
- Aged
- Biopsy
- Carotid Artery Diseases
(diagnostic imaging, epidemiology)
- Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
- Case-Control Studies
- Fatty Liver
(diagnosis, epidemiology)
- Female
- Hepatitis C, Chronic
(diagnosis, epidemiology)
- Humans
- Italy
(epidemiology)
- Logistic Models
- Male
- Metabolic Syndrome
(epidemiology)
- Middle Aged
- Multivariate Analysis
- Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
- Plaque, Atherosclerotic
(diagnostic imaging, epidemiology)
- Prevalence
- Prospective Studies
- Risk Assessment
- Risk Factors
- Viral Load
- Young Adult
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