Higher incidence of diabetes in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C.

We assessed the clinical and biochemical parameters associated with the development of posttransplantation diabetes (PTDM) in 52 liver transplant recipients followed up for 1 year. Diabetes was present before transplantation in 9.6% (5 of 52) of patients, and PTDM occurred in 23% (11 of 47) of the remaining liver transplant recipients. Of the 13 patients who had hepatitis C as the cause of their liver failure (HC-LD), 8 (62%) developed PTDM; of the 34 patients with other causes of liver failure, 3 (9%) developed PTDM (p < 0.001). Posttransplantation diabetes was also associated with the development of early posttransplantation hyperglycemia, a higher number of liver rejection episodes, and lower serum albumin levels at 6 months. The association of PTDM with HC-LD remained significant in a logistic regression model after adjustment for potential confounding variables. We conclude that PTDM is common in liver transplant recipients. Associated clinical parameters predictive of PTDM include a diagnosis of HC-LD before transplantation, the development of early hyperglycemia after transplantation, multiple episodes of posttransplantation liver rejection and low serum albumin levels at 6 months. The fact that HC-LD remained an independent risk factor for the development of PTDM may suggest a direct or immune-mediated pancreatic effect of the virus.