Several studies suggest that hepatitis C not only increases risks of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, but other serious illnesses as well, National Yang-Ming University Institute of Clinical Medicine associate professor Lee Mei-hsuan (李美璇) said yesterday.
Most people know that people with hepatitis C are more likely to develop liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, but studies suggest that the disease might increase the risks of type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease and other illnesses, Lee said.
A long-term study of people with chronic hepatitis C in Taiwan, which included research by Lee and university vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), found that people with chronic hepatitis C have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and end-stage renal disease.
Taiwan Association for the Study of the Liver director Kao Jia-horng (高嘉宏) said hepatitis C mainly affects liver cells, but might contribute to systemic inflammation and inflamed blood vessels, and can cause abnormal lipid, kidney disease and lymphoma.
The hepatitis C virus triggers the production of autoantibodies and cryoglobulin, which if excessively accumulated in the glomerulus (a cluster of capillaries around the end of a kidney tubule) can lead to chronic kidney disease, he said.
Hepatitis C has also been linked with depression and cognitive impairment, Kao said, adding that the goal of treatment is to rid the body of the virus to prevent various linked diseases.
In January, the National Health Insurance (NHI) began to cover a new oral hepatitis C treatment and expanded eligibility for the treatment in May.
The association said the new treatment benefits less than 10,000 people, but about 400,000 people are thought to have the virus nationwide.
The association urged people with hepatitis C to seek treatment to prevent liver disease and other illnesses associated with the virus.
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