NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN HEPATITIS C VIRUS EGYPTIAN PATIENTS

Abstract

1. Hepatitis C virus infected patients might increase the risk for atherosclerosis progression in Egyptian patients. 2. Egyptian HCV patients with & without cardiovascular risk factors groups had highly statistically significant increase in carotid intima media thickness when compared to control group & there was no statistically significant difference between HCV groups with & without cardiovascular risk factors. 3. There was a highly significant average positive correlation between CIMT & the hepatitis C virus infection, total number of traditional atherosclerotic risk factors, hypertension & smoking. 4. The prevalence of carotid plaques & its stenotic percentages was significantly higher in Egyptian HCV patients with & without cardiovascular risk factors groups when compared to control group especially in the right common carotid & there was no significant difference between HCV groups with & without cardiovascular risk factors. The right common carotid artery might constitute a more favorable site for local HCV pathological affection this might indicate future pathological studies depending on autopsies or animal studies. 5. HCV infected patients were found to have decreased brachial artery FMD when compared to control group & there was no significant difference between HCV groups with & without cardiovascular risk factors. There was very highly significant strong negative correlation between HCV & flow mediated dilatation. There was also very highly significant average negative correlation with CIMT. 6. Although HCV is chronic infection that stimulates inflammation, there was a statistically significant decrease in mean hs-CRP levels in HCV patients without cardiovascular risk factors when compared to control & HCV patients with cardiovascular risk factor groups. There was no significant difference in hs-CRP mean level between HCV patients with cardiovascular risk factor group & control group. 7. Serum uric acid was found to be significantly higher in HCV infected groups. 8. Postprandial blood glucose level was significantly higher in HCV without cardiovascular risk factors group when compared to control group. 9. There was no statistically significant difference between HCV patients without cardiovascular risk factor group & control group in peterson elastic modulus, fasting blood sugar level & lipid profile.