Background and study aim : Hepatitis C
is a disease with significant global impact,
it is the most common cause of chronic liver
diseases, and in addition it causes insulin
resistance (IR) leading to increase the risk
of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This
current study aimed to assess the relationship
between serum tumor necrosis factor-α
(TNF-α), insulin resistance (IR) and type
2 DM in patients HCV.
Patients and Methods: The study cohort
consisted of 91 subjects stratified into 4
groups; Group (I): Included 25 HCV
patients without DM, Group (II): Included
25 HCV diabetic patients, Group (III):
Included 25 diabetic patients without
HCV infection and group (IV): Included 16
healthy subjects serving as a control group.
All patients were subjected to full history
taking, thorough clinical examination and
estimation of body mass index (BMI).
Anti-HCV Ab was detected by the 3rd
generation (ELISA) test and was confirmed
by PCR. Assessment of fasting plasma
insulin level (FBI) and TNF-α were done
by ELISA test, while assessment of the
insulin resistance was estimated by
Homeostatic Model Assessment (HOMA
IR).
Results: Higher mean levels of FBS, 2 hr
(2HPP) and fasting plasma insulin (FSI)
were detected in group II (HCV+DM)
compared to other groups with statistically
significant differences between all the studied
groups (P value