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Dr Acalovschi and colleagues evaluated the prevalence and the risk factors for gallstone disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
The team investigated 453 consecutively admitted patients with chronic infection with hepatitis C virus, and 879 patients without liver disease.
Gallstone disease was diagnosed if gallstones were present at ultrasonography or if there had been a previous cholecystectomy.
Variables evaluated were age, gender, gallstone heredity, body mass index, waist circumference, parity, serum lipids, fatty liver, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome (International Diabetes Federation criteria).
 | | 19% with chronic Hep C virus had gallstone disease | | Journal of Viral Hepatitis |
The researcher obtained informed consent from all patients.
The team found that 19% of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus, and 17% of controls had gallstone disease.
Abdominal obesity and steatosis were risk factors for gallstone disease in hepatitis C virus patients.
Gallstone heredity, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome increased the risk for gallstone disease in controls vs hepatitis C virus patients.
The team showed that even hepatitis C virus patients with chronic hepatitis but not cirrhosis have an increased prevalence of gallstones.
Dr Acalovschi's team concluded, “Compared with controls, gallstones are present in hepatitis C virus patients at a younger age and are associated with central obesity and liver steatosis, but not with gallstone heredity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome.”
“Although we could not establish a temporal relationship, the association between hepatitis C virus infection and gallstone disease is real and appears to be causally linked, at least in predisposed individuals.”
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