Atherosclerosis as a Possible Extrahepatic Manifestation of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Egyptian Patients

There are 170 million people affected with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection worldwide. Egypt has the highest HCV prevalence in the world (overall prevalence of HCV antibody is 12% among the general population and reaches 40% in persons 40 years of age and above in rural areas. Our study aimed to study the correlation between hepatitis C and carotid atherosclerosis in Egyptian patients via assessing the intima medial thickness and carotid plaques. Patients and Methods: We evaluated one hundred patients, fifty (50) patients with seropositive HCV and fifty (50) HCV negative patients by full clinical history, physical examination, laboratory assessment including RT- PCR for All HCV positive patients and Color flow Doppler study of both common carotid arteries to assess The carotid intima medial thickness A thickness more than 1mm was considered significant while a thickness more than 1.3mm will be diagnosed as a plaque. Results: In our study there was significant statistical difference between case and control as regarding the common carotid artery intima media thickness (0.93±0.4 vs. 0.67±0.10; p 0.001) and a positive association between chronic HCV infection and CIMT: Eleven patients of HCV seropositive have increased CIMT (1mm or more (22%) And two patients have carotid plaque CIMT more than 2mm (4%). Conclusion: Our work provided a positive correlation between the chronic HCV infection and CIMT as an indicator of atherosclerosis which makes screening for asymptomatic atherosclerosis of great importance.