Early effect of peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment on blood pressure and insulin resistance in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Background/aim: To investigate the early effects of peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin therapy on blood pressure and related cardiovascular risk parameters, and also insulin resistance in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Methodology: Twenty-nine patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) were enrolled in the study. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) of all patients was recorded in the pre-treatment period, and after the 1st and 8th weeks of treatment.