Comparison of Biochemical Parameters in Patients with Hepatitis B, C, and Dual Hepatitis B and C in Northwest Pakistan

The leading causes of hepatitis are viral infections, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV). Millions of people have been infected with these deadly viral infections worldwide, and in Pakistan, every tenth person is infected with these viruses. Different populations respond with different rates to infectious diseases due to host genomic differences. To evaluate and compare the biochemical parameters in different types of hepatitis (Hepatitis B, C, and Co-infection) and different ethnic groups, a total of 200 pre-screened patients were recruited from District Headquarters Teaching Hospital Dera Ismail Khan and Tank. Blood samples (5ml) were taken from patients and were assayed for biochemical parameters, including four liver function tests (LFTs) and two renal function tests (RFTs). In 200 patients, the mean scores of Alanine transaminase (ALT) were 376±335, 315±265, and 478±519 IU/L in HBV, HCV, and co-infected patients, respectively. Moreover, the mean score of ALT was 31±7.2 IU/l in the normal control group. All other biochemical parameters demonstrated elevated levels in coinfection, HBV, and HCV, respectively, except total proteins. The RFTs showed a threshold or upper normal limit (UNL); nonetheless, when compared to normal control subjects, RFTs parameters were high in infected patients, as compared to normal control. Ethnicity wise comparison of parameters indicated that Pushtoon ethnic group indicated a high degree of severity of HBV infection and co-infection, as compared to Saraiki and Rajpoot ethnic groups, while Saraiki ethnic group showed a higher severity of HCV than both of Pushtoon and Rajpoot. Rajpoot ethnic group was least affected than both Pushtoon and Saraiki ethnic groups. Co-infected patients were more severely affected, as compared to HBV and HCV patients. The ethnicity-wise study provided evidence that different ethnic groups showed different degrees of severity. There may be some genetic background involved in hepatitis B and C viral infection due to which all three ethnic groups showed different degrees of severity. In gender-wise comparisons, male patients were more affected than female patients.