Diagnostic and prognostic significance of hepatic steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Knowing that hepatic steatosis (HS) is a common occurrence in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), it is essential to establish what are the factors that predispose to its occurrence and what is the role of HS in the evolution and prognosis of patients with CHC who develop this feature. To achieve these aims, we performed a retrospective clinical study in 33 patients with CHC hospitalized, diagnosed, and monitored in the 2nd Medical Department of the Emergency County Hospital, Craiova, Romania, in a period of two years (2011-2012). Following clinical, hematological, biochemical, immunological, and pathological investigations of the 33 patients with CHC selected, only 14 patients showed pathological changes of the HS. The appearance of steatosis in patients with CHC results from a complex interaction between the particularities of the host and viral factors. The main risk factors of the host, which contributed to the appearance of HS were sex, age, body mass index (BMI), body weight, and personal history of pathology (obesity, metabolic syndrome). Virus-related factors involved in HS were viremia and viral genotype. In conclusion, HS is a common finding (42.42%) in patients with CHC, particularly genotypes 1 and 2. Early detection of HS by invasive or non-invasive methods is an important objective of monitoring patients with CHC, because HS is correlated with a high degree of fibrosis. Therefore, early correction of metabolic factors and early introduction of antiviral therapy are important targets for treating of patients with CHC.