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HCV infection may increase risk for coronary disease
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Patients with hepatitis C virus may be at a higher risk for coronary artery disease, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The increased risk for coronary artery disease among patients with hepatitis C was seen even among those who were younger and had lower lipid levels better blood pressure levels.
Researchers collected data from all Veterans Affairs facilities in the United States and the Electronically Retrieved Cohort of HCV Infected Veterans. They identified 82,083 people with HCV and 89,582 people who were not infected with HCV. Data were collected from 2001 to 2006.
According to the results, patients with HCV were less likely to have hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes but more likely to experience renal failure, anemia and a history of alcohol and drug abuse.
The average total plasma cholesterol was 175 ± 40.8 mg/dL in patients with HCV compared with 198 ± 41.0 mg/dL in those who were not infected (P<.001). Patients with HCV also had lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (102 ± 36.8 mg/dL vs. 119 ± 38.2 mg/dL) and triglyceride levels (144 ± 119 mg/dL vs. 179 ± 151 mg/dL) than those who did not have HCV (P<.001 for both comparisons).
Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the hazard ratio for coronary artery disease among patients with HCV was 1.25 (95% CI, 1.20-1.30).
Age, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and hyperlipidemia were risk factors for coronary artery disease among both HCV-infected and HCV-uninfected populations. A lower risk for coronary artery disease was observed among ethnic minorities and women.
Butt A et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2009;49:225-232.