الفهرس 
Hepatitis C virus (HCV)Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Back ground: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a worldwide disease that induces a range of chronic liver disease sequelae and metabolic abnormalities including insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Recent studies showed a lower level of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) or a decrease in the IGF-1/IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) ratio in patients in patients with diabetes mellitus as well as in patients with hepatic steatosis. As both hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance were two common phenomena in patients with chronic HCV.
Objective: to assess the significance of the ratio between insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor–binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in non-diabetic patients with hepatitis C virus and insulin resistance.
Patients and methods: in this case-control study, 30 non-diabetic patients were selected with HCV-related chronic liver disease and insulin resistance which is determined by the homeostasis model for assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) method (HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5) and 30 healthy volunteers matched in age and sex were selected as a control group. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were assessed in the cases and controls using the commercially-available ELISA kits. Insulin resistance was determined using HOMA-IR calculation.
Results: chronic hepatitis C was more associated with insulin resistance and low IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio levels. Child-Pugh score (which is known to be used for assessment of the degree of liver decompensation) in our thesis was statistically correlated to HOMA-IR and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio, illustrating the fact that the more insulin resistance, the more hepatic dysfunction.
Conclusion: Decrease in IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio level is a good predictive marker of insulin resistance and deterioration of liver functions in HCV-related chronic liver disease