FENG-CHIAO TSAICHUN-JEN LIUCHI-LING CHENPEI-JER CHENLai M.-Y.JIA-HORNG KAODING-SHINN CHEN2022-01-252022-01-2520071352-0504https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33846961112&doi=10.1111%2fj.1365-2893.2006.00780.x&partnerID=40&md5=53e5cdf351fbec1f743b2d2517a3e605https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/593478Advanced age and high hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA level are risk factors associated with the development of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little is known about the role of viral load in the carcinogenesis of HCC in young people. A total of 183 HBV-related HCC patients and 202 HBV carriers were therefore enrolled to compare serum viral loads in young (?40 years of age) and old (>40 years of age) age groups. Other factors associated with the development of HCC were also analysed. The results showed that serum alanine aminotransferase (38.7 ± 24.1 vs 58.4 ± 65.4 IU/L, P = 0.006) and HBV DNA levels (log10 titre: 4.20 ± 1.33 vs 4.80 ± 1.39, P = 0.053) were lower in young HCC patients than in old HCC patients. There was a positive correlation between age and serum HBV DNA level in HCC patients but a negative correlation in HBV carriers. Young HCC patients with HBV genotype B infection had higher viral loads than those with genotype C infection (log10 titre: 4.79 ± 1.34 vs 3.27 ± 0.60, P = 0.001). By multivariate logistic regression analyses, high serum HBV DNA level was associated with the development of HCC in old patients [odds ratio (OR) 1.584, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.075-2.333] rather than in young patients (OR 0.848, 95% CI 0.645-1.116). In conclusion, viral factors in association with the development of HBV-related HCC in young patients may be different from their old counterparts. The complicated interplay between host and virus could be responsible for the emergence and aggressive outcome of early-onset HCC. ? 2007 The Authors.[SDGs]SDG3alanine aminotransferase; virus DNA; adult; age distribution; aged; alanine aminotransferase blood level; article; cancer risk; confidence interval; controlled study; correlation analysis; disease association; female; genotype; hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; human; liver carcinogenesis; liver cell carcinoma; liver cirrhosis; major clinical study; male; multivariate logistic regression analysis; priority journal; risk assessment; virus carrier; virus load; virus titration; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alanine Transaminase; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Carrier State; DNA, Viral; Female; Genotype; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Risk Factors; Serum; Statistics; Viral Loadjournal article10.1111/j.1365-2893.2006.00780.x173058802-s2.0-33846961112