Z Gastroenterol 2025; 63(08): e482-e483
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1810834
Abstracts | DGVS/DGAV
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Virushepatitis im Blick: Zwischen Kontrolle und Herausforderung Donnerstag, 18. September 2025, 11:00 – 12:17, Vortragsraum 10

Overweight, but not alcohol is associated with increased risk for advanced liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection – results from the German hepatitis C-registry (Dhc-

K L Hupa-Breier
4   Center for HIV and Hepatogastroenterology, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
,
P Buggisch
3   University of Würzburg Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg, Deutschland
,
H Klinker
5   Leberzentrum Checkpoint, Berlin, Deutschland
,
S Mauss
1   Hannover Medical School, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology, Hannover, Deutschland
,
R Heyne
2   ifi-Institute for Interdisciplinary Medicine, Hamburg, Deutschland
,
K-G Simon
3   University of Würzburg Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine II, Würzburg, Deutschland
,
T Berg
4   Center for HIV and Hepatogastroenterology, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
,
A Geier
4   Center for HIV and Hepatogastroenterology, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
,
H Wedemeyer
4   Center for HIV and Hepatogastroenterology, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
5   Leberzentrum Checkpoint, Berlin, Deutschland
,
M Rau
4   Center for HIV and Hepatogastroenterology, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
› Author Affiliations
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Background and Aims: Obesity and alcohol are important risk factors for the development of liver cirrhosis. However, their impact in patients after chronic HCV infection (cHCV) remains unknown. Data are lacking weather the co-existence of both risk factors has a supra-additive effect on disease progression. We aimed to analyze the impact of obesity and alcohol consumption in cHCV patients.

Method: Patients from the German Hepatitis C-Registry were classified into four groups according to the presence of overweight (BMI≥25 vs. BMI<25) and the presence of alcohol consumption (none, vs. any alcohol). Primary endpoint was progression to liver cirrhosis. Secondary endpoint was mortality in combination with disease progression.

Results: In total, n=5967 patients were included after antiviral treatment. Patients with BMI≥25/no alcohol (O/nA) had an increased risk for progress of liver cirrhosis compared to BMI<25/ alcohol (L/A). In a multivariate analysis, obesity and diabetes were independent risk factors for disease progression (OR for BMI>35 2.833 (1.682-4.771), OR for diabetes 1.489 (1.004-2.208). O/nA patients also had an increased risk for overall mortality and disease progression compared to L/A. Multivariate analysis of the secondary endpoint identified again diabetes and obesity as the only independent cardiometabolic risk factors for disease progression and mortality. Interestingly, neither alcohol consumption alone nor in combination with obesity influences disease progression.

Conclusion: In conclusion, obesity increased the risk for disease progression after cHCV infection, while neither alcohol consumption alone nor in addition to obesity impacts disease progression. Therefore, weight management in patients after cHCV is important to prevent disease progression.



Publication History

Article published online:
04 September 2025

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