CHRONIC HEPATITIS B AND C VIRUSES INFECTION AS A RISK FOR ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN ZAGAZIG UNIVERISTY HOSPITALS

Background & Aims: To compare carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) – an index of early atherosclerosis – among patients with chronic hepatitis B (HBV), chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and control subjects. Patients and Methods: We studied 20 patients with HCV, 20 patients with HBV, and 20 healthy controls who were comparable for age and sex. Common carotid IMT was measured with ultrasonography in all participants by a single operator blinded to subjects’ characteristics. Results: Carotid IMT measurements were markedly different among the groups; the lowest values were in controls, and, intermediate in patients with HBV and HCV (0. 0.7 ± 0.1 vs. 1 ± 0.2vs. 1.1 ± 0.2 respectively; p < 0.001). The marked differences in carotid IMT that were observed among the groups were little affected by adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, LDL cholesterol .Concordantly, HBV and HCV predicted carotid IMT independent of potential confounders. Conclusions: These data suggest that HCV and HBVespecially non cirrhotic patients are strongly associated with early atherosclerosis independent of classical risk factors.