Clinical Evaluation and Serum Lipid Profile between Individuals with Acute Hepatitis C

Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) exerts an intense impact on host lipid metabolism. It has been shown that the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids (FA) is directly affected in HCV patients but serum FA profile of acute HCV patients have not been directly quantified in humans.

Methodology: In present study the serum lipid and FA’s profile (free and total) of acute hepatitis C patients (n=50) is evaluated in comparison to healthy controls (n=50). The acute HCV patient’s were diagnosed by center of diseases control (CDC) criteria. Blood hematology, serum proteins, enzymes, waste metabolites and nutrition status were also assessed by standard methods.

Results: The acute HCV patients have significantly lower (P<0.05) lipid profile including triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL and LDL in relation to controls. Results of serum lipid FA’s (total and free form) reveal elevated level of saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), with lower content of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in acute hepatitis C patient as compared to controls. Among SFA, myristic and palmitic acid were increased and five unsaturated FA including nervonic, linoleic, α-linolenic, docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid were reduced than control subjects. Significantly higher (P<0.05) alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, direct bilirubin and globulin levels were found in acute HCV patients possibly due to viral infection.

Conclusion: This work makes available direct proof that lipogenesis is elevated in acute HCV patients while as evident from reduced serum PUFA and elevated SFA as well as MUFA. Hence acute HCV patients have low PUFA levels, which put forward importance of PUFA supplementation.