Hepatitis C as a risk factor for coronary artery disease in silent myocardial ischemia

Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between seropositivity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the severity of coronary artery disease in silent myocardial ischemic patients. Background Silent myocardial ischemia is defined as an objective evidence of myocardial ischemia occurring in the absence of symptoms. HCV was found to have a positive association with carotid artery plaque. Patients and methods We investigated 50 patients with silent myocardial ischemia. Patients were divided into two groups (group A included 25 HCV-seropositive patients and group B included 25 HCV-seronegative patients). Patients were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and investigations such as 24-h Holter monitoring, complete blood count, liver and renal function tests, and random blood glucose, lipid profile, viral marker tests. Abdominal ultrasonography, echocardiography, and coronary angiography were carried out for all patients. The SYNTAX score was calculated. Results Fifteen patients of group A had left anterior descending disease versus seven of group B (P = 0.013). Thirteen patients of group A had left circumflex disease versus six of group B (P = 0.013). Fourteen patients of group A had right coronary artery disease versus six of group B (P = 0.0023).The SYNTAX score of group A was 15.76 ± 6.75, whereas the score for group B was 11.36 ± 7.64 (P = 0.0.036). Conclusion There was a positive relationship between HCV and number of diseased coronary vessels, and there was a positive relationship between HCV seropositivity and complexity of coronary lesions in the light of SYNTAX score as well.