Characteristics of lipid metabolism in children with chronic hepatitis C

The Aim: To analyze the state of lipid metabolism, body composition, and liver parenchyma structure in children with chronic hepatitis C (СHC). Methods. The study group consisted of 63 children with СHC aged 3—17 years without concomitant endocrine pathology, who were examined in 2022—2024 at the NCCIB. The control group consisted of 37 healthy children aged 9—17 years. All underwent anthropometry, laboratory examination (HCV RNA PCR, lipidogram), liver elastography with assessment of steatosis. Results. Children with СHC are significantly more likely to have hypolipidemia in the form of a decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (p < 0.05), while in healthy children there is a decrease in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and an increase in the coefficient of atherogenicity (p < 0.05). In the study group, abnormalities in lipid metabolism were found in 39.6% of children, while the majority (64%) had a «healthy weight». An increase in the level of non-HDL cholesterol was more often recorded in children with a «healthy weight» and was associated with genotypes 1 and 2 (non-3) of the virus (p < 0.05). Almost half (43.2%) of children with СHC had liver steatosis associated with the non-3 genotype of the virus (p < 0.05). Children with СHC without obesity are significantly more likely to develop steatosis compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Virus-induced changes in lipid metabolism parameters, regardless of the presence or absence of overweight, associated with the non-3 genotype of the virus, were found in children with СHC. Hypolipidemia is significantly associated with HCV. Liver steatosis is significantly more common in children with СHC without excess weight compared to healthy children, which further confirms the effect of the virus on the lipid profile.

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