Abstract:
Objective: To find out the relation between carotid intima media thickening (CIMT) and lipid profile in HCV seropositive
patients.
Study Design & Setting: Descriptive, cross sectional study.
Methodology: Study was conducted in the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences of Dow University of Health Sciences.
Duration of study wsd 13 months. After ethical approval, a total of ninety participants including thirty (n=30) control (Group
A) and sixty (n=60) HCV sero-positive patients (Group B) were inducted in the study from the hepatitis clinic of Ruth Pfau
Civil Hospital, Karachi, Those with history of smoking, hypertension, alcohol, pregnancy, ascities, coinfection with other
hepatitis viruses and not willing to participate were excluded. After consent, demographic and anthropometric data were
recorded. Blood samples were taken for fasting blood glucose and lipid profile estimation. CIMT was estimated by carotid
doppler ultrasound. Data entered and analyzed by SPSS version 20.0. and presented as frequency (n; %) and mean ±SD.
Student “t” test and Pearson’s correlation test were applied where appropriate. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as
statistically significant.
Results: Demographic and anthropometric characteristics of HCV sero-positive participants showed non-significant
difference compared to control. FBG and CIMT were found to be significantly raised in HCV infected patients while lipid
profile parameters showed insignificant difference. Pearson’s correlation test revealed insignificant relation of lipid profile
parameters with CIMT (p > 0.000).
Conclusion: HCV seropositive patients had significantly raised CIMT with non-significant relation with parameters of
lipid profile
