title: Hepatitis B and C virus infection and the risk of atherosclerosis in a general population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The development of atherosclerosis has an inflammatory component. Currently it is not clear, whether hepatitis B and C virus infections are associated with the risk of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present analysis was to investigate those relationships in a population sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study of health in Pomerania (SHIP) is a cross-sectional study of the adult population in the northeast of Germany. HBs antigen (HBsAg) and IgG antibodies against hepatitis B and C virus (anti-HBs and anti-HCV) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Fifteen subjects (0.4%) were positive for HBsAg, and 21 subjects (0.5%) were positive for anti-HCV. Among the persons who had no history of anti-hepatitis B vaccination, 213 individuals (5.0%) were found to be as positive for anti-HBs. These individuals and those with prevalent anti-HCV antibodies were regarded as cases (n = 233). The control group comprised of 4033 individuals. Multivariable analyses revealed that there was no independent association between anti-HBs and anti-HCV antibody seropositivity and atherosclerotic end-points such as prevalent myocardial infarction, stroke, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), carotid plaques and stenoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no association between serological markers for hepatitis B and C virus infection and the risk of atherosclerosis in this population sample.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Walther Rathenau Street 48, D-17487, Greifswald, Germany. voelzke@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwahn
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mentel
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kleine
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution