ASSESSMENT OF COLON MICROBIOCENOSIS DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C.

The aim: To investigate the peculiarities of colon microbiocenosis disorders in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Materials and methods: 142 patients with CHC were under observation, determination of the degree of liver fibrosis (FibroMax), bacteriological examination of stools and pancreatic elastase was performed. Results: It was found that 59.2% of patients with CHC had gut dysbiosis (DB), of which 61.9% had increased body weight. Intestinal microbiocenosis disorders were manifested by constipation in 57.1% of patients, diarrhea in 31% of patients, and alternating constipation and diarrhea in 11.9% of patients. Bacteriologically, gut dysbiosis was character¬ized by suppression of the growth of normal microflora: Escherichia coli in 47.6%, bifidobacteria in 61.9%, lactobacilli in 53.6%, complete absence of bifidobacteria in 20.2% of cases. In patients with CHC combined with DB deep stages of liver fibrosis (F2-3 and F3-4) are registered 3.6 times more often compared to patients without intestinal dysbiosis (53.6% versus 24.1% and 11.9% versus 3.4%). The degree of gut DB increased in proportion to the stage of liver fibrosis (p<0.05). 32.1% of patients with CHC with dysbiosis were diagnosed with exocrine insufficiency of the pancreas. Conclusions: Gut dysbiosis occurs more often in CHC patients with increased body weight and is characterized by constipation in 59.2% of patients. Intestinal microbiocenosis is characterized by suppression of the growth of normal microflora. In 32.1% of CHC patients with intestinal dysbiosis, according to the results of the pancreatic elastase-1 test, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency of various degrees was found.