Insulin resistance and steatosis in HBV-HCV co-infected patients: Role of PNPLA3 polymorphisms and impact on liver fibrosis progression

AIM:To evaluate steatosis,insulin resistance(IR)and patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3(PNPLA3) and their relation to disease progression in hepatitis B and C viruses(HCV-HBV) coinfected patients.METHODS:Three hundred and thirty patients with biopsy proven chronic hepatitis were enrolled:66 had HBV-HCV,66 HBV and 198 HCV infection.Prevalence of steatosis,IR and PNPLA3 polymorphisms and their relation to anthropometric,biochemical,virological and histological parameters were evaluated.RESULTS:Prevalence of steatosis in group HBV-HCV was similar to that in HCV(47.0% vs 49.5%,respec-tively);group HBV showed the lowest steatosis(33.3%).Group HBV-HCV had a lesser degree of steatosis than HCV(P = 0.016),lower HCV RNA levels(P = 0.025) and lower prevalence and degree of IR(P = 0.01).PNPLA3 polymorphisms were associated with steatosis.Group HBV-HCV showed higher levels of liver fibrosis than group HCV(P = 0.001),but similar to that ob-served in HBV group.In HBV-HCV group,liver fibrosis was not associated with steatosis,IR or PNPLA3.HBV infection was the independent predictor of advanced liver fibrosis.CONCLUSION:HBV-HCV co-infected patients have lower degree of hepatic steatosis,IR and HCV RNA than HCV mono-infected;co-infected patients showed a more rapid liver fibrosis progression that seems to be due to the double infection and/or HBV dominance.