Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Carbohydrate metabolism disorders are common in chronic liver diseases, from glucose intolerance to proven diabetes. The presence of diabetes during chronic liver disease is a factor of poor prognosis. The purpose of our study is to assess the prevalence of diabetes in chronic hepatitis B and C and to determine the risk factors.

Patients and methods: This is a retrospective study that collects all cases of chronic hepatitis hospitalized in the Gastroenterology department from January to December 2016. The search for an association with diabetes or glucose intolerance has been carried out systematically.

Results: 133 cases of chronic viral hepatitis have been identified. The origin is viral C (N=102) and viral B (N=31). The average age of patients was 59.25 (range 26–83 years) with a sex ratio of 0.7. The fibrosis stage evaluated by fibrotest or liver biopsy was as follows: F0 (N=13), F1 (N=6), F2 (N=21), F3 (N=12), F4 (N=81). 42.1% of patients were suffering from diabetes (56 patients). A metabolic syndrome was noted in 46 patients. Diabetes was anterior to the diagnosis of cirrhosis in 19 patients, after the diagnosis of cirrhosis in 14 patients. Both diagnoses were recognized simultaneously in 8 cases. Diabetes was significantly correlated with: age > 50 years (P=0.001), fibrosis > F3 (P=0.005) and the presence of a metabolic syndrome (P<0.001), mainly in case of viral hepatitis C. In patients who received antiviral treatment, diabetes was a factor of poor therapeutic response (P=0.03).

Conclusion: In our series, the prevalence of diabetes in chronic viral hepatitis B and C is high and found in more than 40% of cases. Diabetes was associated with age >50 years, fibrosis > F3 and the presence of a metabolic syndrome, mainly with viral hepatitis C.