Impact of occult hepatitis B on the clinical outcomes of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection: A 10-year follow-up
Journal
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Journal Volume
116
Journal Issue
9
Pages
697-704
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Chen H.-Y.
Yang W.-T.
Chen T.-C.
Abstract
Background/Purpose Occult hepatitis B infection (OHB) is not rare in countries that are endemic for hepatitis B virus (HBV) and in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Notably, OHB has been shown to play a role in the progression of liver diseases, including the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the data is inconsistent. We aim to clarify the contribution of concurrent OHB to the progression of liver diseases in a long-term cohort of patients with HCV infection and to investigate the value of total anti-hepatitis B core (anti-HBc) antibody as a surrogate OHB biomarker. Methods We included 250 chronic anti-HCV-positive patients who had resolved HBV infection (anti-HBc positive and hepatitis B surface antigen negative). OHB was then detected using a sensitive commercial assay for serum HBV DNA with a low limit of detection of 6 IU/mL. Clinical outcomes, including the development of liver cirrhosis, HCC, and all-cause deaths, were compared between OHB-positive and OHB-negative patients. Results At baseline, only 183 (73.20%) patients had positive HCV ribonucleic acid, and 56 (30.60%) of these 183 patients with active HCV infection had OHB. The presence of OHB did not correlate with any adverse clinical outcome in multivariate analyses. In addition, chronic hepatitis C patients with OHB did not have a higher level of serum total anti-HBc. Conclusion OHB infection may not contribute to the development of adverse liver outcomes in patients with chronic HCV. ? 2016
SDGs
Other Subjects
biological marker; hepatitis B core antibody; virus DNA; hepatitis B antibody; hepatitis B core antigen; virus DNA; adult; adverse outcome; aged; Article; cause of death; chronic hepatitis C; clinical outcome; cohort analysis; controlled study; disease course; female; follow up; hepatitis B; human; incidence; limit of detection; liver cirrhosis; major clinical study; male; multivariate analysis; univariate analysis; blood; chronic hepatitis C; complication; hepatitis B; immunology; middle aged; very elderly; virology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; DNA, Viral; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B Antibodies; Hepatitis B Core Antigens; Hepatitis C, Chronic; Humans; Male; Middle Aged
Publisher
Elsevier B.V.
Type
journal article