The impact of insulin resistance, serum adipocytokines and visceral obesity on steatosis and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Aims To assess whether host metabolic factors influence the degree of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in patients infected with hepatitis C virus, and to evaluate the impact of anti-viral therapy on insulin resistance and serum levels of adipocytokines. Methods Clinical and biochemical features, anthropometrical characteristics, and levels of fasting insulin, leptin, adiponectin and resistin were measured in ‘naı¨ve’ patients with chronic hepatitis C, before, during and after therapy with Peg-Interferon-alpha 2a plus Ribavirin. Results Forty-eightpatientswereincluded(M/F28/20;meanage50.0 12.6years; 62.5% genotype-1). Body mass index was 26.4 4.0 kg/m2 , and visceral obesity was present in 24…