Five Major FactorsThere are five major factors that influence the rate of progression for HCV liver disease. They are alcohol consumption, age at infection, gender, co-infections, and fatty liver.
While we can’t do much about age or gender we can completely eliminate alcohol from the formula and take specific steps to reduce or eliminate the risk of co-infections and fatty liver. Major Factor: Alcohol consumption
By itself, alcohol is significant risk factor for developing alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, especially for the chronic drinker.
Research has revealed that the non-Hep C incessant drinker of alcohol is more prone to developing liver disease than the non-drinker with the Hep C virus.
If you have Hepatitis C and drink alcohol you are 16 times more likely to develop cirrhosis of the liver than a non-drinker with Hepatitis C. Click Here to Learn About Recovery Alternatives to Alcohol and Drug Addiction Major Factor: Age at infection
Those infected by the Hepatitis C virus at mid-life or older are more likely to experience an accelerated rate of progression for liver disease. Major Factor: Gender
Gender is a major factor because overall women cope with the HCV and associated problems relating to having the virus better than men. Women under the age of 50 do remarkably better than men.
Women also seem to be able to rid themselves of the Hepatitis C virus without treatment more often than men. Major Factor: Co-infection A co-infection is defined as the simultaneous infection of a single cell by two or more viruses. Because there are literally hundreds of known viruses I am confident there are hundreds of possible virus and Hep C co-infections that have the potential to have an accelerated affect on the rate of progression for liver disease. There are two specific viruses that will definitely lead to rapid progression for liver disease. They are Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) Hepatitis B infection happens in much the same way as we were infected with Hepatitis C; through exposure to infectious blood or body fluids containing blood. As with HCV, the possible means of transmission include, but are not limited to, unprotected sexual contact, re-use of contaminated needles and syringes, and vertical transmission from mother to child during childbirth. We can reduce or eliminate the possibility of co-infection by practicing safe sex and not using contaminated needles and syringes. Without intervention, an expectant mother positive for the HBV surface antigen has a 20% chance of passing the infection to her offspring at the time of birth. This rises to as high as 90% if the mother is also positive for the Hepatitis B e antigen. HBV can be transmitted between family members within households, possibly by contact of nonintact skin or mucous membrane with secretions or saliva containing HBV. At least 30% of reported hepatitis B among adults cannot be associated with an identifiable risk factor. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, which leads to other life-threatening infections. HIV is also known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells. The four major routes of transmission are unprotected sexual intercourse, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth. Major Factor: Fatty liver Fatty Liver Disease (FLD), a major factor, is a reversible condition wherein fat accumulates in liver cells through a process known as steatosis. Steatosis is the process of abnormal retention of fat-soluble naturally-occurring molecules within a cell.
Despite having multiple causes, FLD is considered a single disease that occurs worldwide in those with excessive alcohol intake (alcoholic FLD) and those who are obese (non-alcoholic FLD).
Alcoholic FLD is the most common cause of fatty liver. Because of the link between FLD, alcohol, and Hepatitis C it is extremely important for you to abstain from drinking alcohol.
Nonalcoholic FLD more commonly presents itself in those that are categorized as being obese.
Obesity, a serious and growing public health problem, is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue exceeds healthy limits.
Healthy limits are most commonly defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI, developed by Belgian statistician and anthropometrist Adolphe Quetelet, is a simple and widely used method for estimating body fat.
BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight by the square of his/her height. Typically expressed either in metric or US "Customary" units:
Metric: BMI = weight in kilograms / height in meters2
US/Customary: BMI = weight in pounds / height in inches2
The most commonly used definitions associated with BMI were established by the WHO in 1997, were finally published in 2000, and provides the following values:
A BMI less than 18.5 is underweight
A BMI of 18.5–24.9 is normal weight
A BMI of 25.0–29.9 is overweight
A BMI of 30.0–39.9 is obese
A BMI of 40.0 or higher is severely (or morbidly) obese
Major factors positively affecting a person's BMI is eating a proper diet, reducing caloric intake, and regular cardio and strength training exercise.
Reduction in BMI to a satisfactory level to include an improved physical appearance takes months, if not years.
The speed with which one will see results are dependent on the beginning level of obesity; the strictness of diet and caloric intake; and the intensity and frequency of the exercise program.
A positive side effect of exercise is increased muscle, tendon, and ligament strength, which helps prevent injury from accidents and vigorous activity.
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