Bio-electric Impedance Analysis & impact of Interferon Therapy in HCV

Changes in body composition, particularly those related to Body fat (BF), Lean body mass (LBM), Extra cellular water (ECW) and Intra cellular water (ICW) and Phase angle (PA), are of particular importance both from diagnosis and prognosis point of views. Changes in body composition in HCV patients with interferon therapy are well established. However, these are not reported extensively in patients from developing societies, where the infection may have different dimensions. We, therefore, prospectively investigated these changes in current study. Body composition was assessed using bio-electric impedance analysis (BIA) and monitored for the six months of treatment. Findings of this research study are significant (p≤0.05) reduction in body weight, BF, lean body mass LBM, ECW and ICW, and BCM in HCV patients on interferon-α (IFN-α) therapy. There was also significant reduction in BMR in these patients. Phase Angle for “On Therapy” group was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lowered. These parameters changed non-significantly (p>0.05) in ‘no therapy’ group. IFN causes significant reduction in compartments of body composition and that these changes can be used as surrogate Indicator.