title: A meta-analysis of case-control studies on the combined effect of hepatitis B and C virus infections in causing hepatocellular carcinoma in China.
abstract: We investigated whether concurrent infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in China, a hyperepidemic area for these infections, was associated with a higher risk of causing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) than each infection alone in a meta-analysis in China, 32 case-control studies involving 3201 cases and 4005 controls, identified from a computer-based literature search from 1966 to 2004. The pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) for HBsAg positivity was 14.1 (95% CI: 10.6-18.8); for anti-HCV/HCV RNA positivity was 4.6 (95% CI: 3.6-5.9); for HBsAg positivity and anti-HCV/HCV RNA negativity were 15.6 (95% CI: 11.5-21.3); for HBsAg negativity and anti-HCV/HCV RNA positivity were 8.1 (95% CI: 5.0-13.0); and positivity for both HBsAg and anti-HCV/HCV RNA was 35.7 (95% CI: 26.2-48.5). We conclude that HBV and HCV infections are important independent risk factors for HCC in China, and that dual infection by HBV and HCV is associated with a higher risk of causing HCC than each infection alone, suggesting a synergism between HBV and HCV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200003, PR China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W-F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012306:Risk