Review
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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 7, 2014; 20(41): 15233-15240
Published online Nov 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i41.15233
Insulin resistance and liver steatosis in chronic hepatitis C infection genotype 3
Ludovico Abenavoli, Mario Masarone, Valentina Peta, Natasa Milic, Nazarii Kobyliak, Samir Rouabhia, Marcello Persico
Ludovico Abenavoli, Valentina Peta, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Græcia, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Mario Masarone, Marcello Persico, Internal Medicine and Hepatology Unit, University of Salerno, 84081 Baronissi, Italy
Natasa Milic, Department of Pharmacy, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Nazarii Kobyliak, Bogomolets National Medical University, 01601 Kiev, Ukraine
Samir Rouabhia, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Center Touhami Benfis, Batna 05000, Algeria
Author contributions: Abenavoli L designed the paper, performed research of literature data and wrote the paper; Masarone M performed research of literature data and wrote the paper; Peta V, Kobyliak N and Rouabhia S critically revised the paper; Milic N performed research of literature data and revised the paper; Persico M analysed data and drafted the article.
Correspondence to: Ludovico Abenavoli, MD, PhD, Department of Health Sciences, University Magna Græcia, Campus Germaneto, Viale Europa, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy. l.abenavoli@unicz.it
Telephone: +39-961-3694387 Fax: +39-961-754220
Received: March 18, 2014
Revised: April 28, 2014
Accepted: June 12, 2014
Published online: November 7, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Three main types of steatosis in the patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are known: a metabolic type associated with metabolic syndrome and two viral types: one that seems to be directly triggered by the virus and one that could originate from the interference of the virus in the mechanisms of insulin resistance. The first viral type is particularly widely considered to be predominant and, perhaps, strictly linked to HCV genotype 3 infection and its intra-hepatic viral load. This evidence is supported by the resolution of steatosis in most patients infected with genotype 3 virus after HCV eradication by antiviral therapy.