CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS

SERUM INSULIN LEVEL

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the serum insulin level in viral hepatitis B and C patients
at different stages of disease. Study Design: Observational study. Period: Twelve months.
Setting: Biochemistry Department BMSI, JPMC Karachi. Methods: The diagnosed patients
for hepatitis B and C virus infection with and without cirrhosis were included. Patients were
selected after diagnosis of the disease by ELISA method. Subjects diagnosed as negative
were enrolled as controls in the study. Serum insulin estimation was done by ELISA and blood
glucose by Hexokinase method, prothrombin time by one stage (coagulation) method and liver
enzymes were assayed was by enzymatic (Kinetic) method. For paired and correlation data
analysis, SPSS 10.0 version for windows was used. For all comparisons, upto 0.05 P value was
considered significant. Results: The insulin, fasting blood glucose and albumin mean values as
compared to control were found significant statistically (P<0.05). However in all groups AST and
ALT mean values found statistically highly significant (P<0.01), which indicates liver damage
progression with consequent increase in serum insulin levels in these patients. Conclusion:
Tests for early analysis of serum insulin levels should be performed in those cases that are
diagnosed as hepatitis B or C positive, along with liver function tests, to reduce the increased
rate of morbidity and mortality in co-morbid condition.