To investigate the incidence of insulin resistance (IR) and diabetes in patients with chronic hepatic schistosomiasis japonica (HSJ) and portosystemic shunts (PSS).

Pre- and post-contrasted computed tomography images obtained from patients with HSJ and control subjects were reviewed by two radiologists who identified and graded any shunting vessels. Anthropometric measurements, hepatic enzymes, lipid profile, blood levels of albumin, glucose, insulin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-2) index of all participants were also assessed.

Fifty-two patients with HSJ and 30 control subjects were involved in the study. The coronary, short gastric and perisplenic veins were the most common shunting vessels. There were no significant differences between patients and controls in terms of body mass index or liver function. The degree of shunting vessels, blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test_120/0, insulin, HOMA-2 index, glycosylated haemoglobin, cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein, and C-reactive protein were significantly higher in the patients with IR. A positive correlation was found between the degree of the shunting vessels and the HOMA-2 index.

Patients with chronic HSJ and PSS without liver dysfunction had a high incidence of IR and diabetes. The study showed that PSS and IR are related and therefore patients with PSS should be screened for IR and vice versa.