Journal of Korean medical science
Insulin Resistance and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients Under Antiviral Therapy
By Sinn DH, Kim KA, Lee JI and 1 others.
Abstract
Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant concern in patients with liver cirrhosis due to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, even among those who achieve a virological response with antiviral therapy. This study aimed to evaluate whether insulin resistance (IR), assessed using the Homeostatic Model Assessment 2 for Insulin Resistance (HOMA2-IR) index, can serve as a surrogate marker for stratifying HCC risk in this population.
Methods
In this multicenter prospective cohort study, 334 patients with HBV-related cirrhosis who achieved virological response to nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy were enrolled. The primary outcome was the incidence of HCC during follow-up. Baseline HOMA2-IR was calculated using serum C-peptide and fasting glucose levels.