Hepatitis B virus seropositivity is not associated with increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis in Taiwanese.
BACKGROUND
Chronic infection has been proposed to increase the risk of atherosclerosis in several experimental and epidemiological studies. However, the relationship of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and atherosclerosis remains controversial. We conducted this cross-sectional study to evaluate the association of carotid atherosclerosis with hepatitis B seropositivity.


RESULTS
In this cross-sectional study, we collected data from subjects undergoing health examination, including B-mode carotid ultrasonography, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status and assessment of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, at our institutes in Taiwan between 2002 and 2003. Cases with chronic hepatitis C had been excluded. Of the 508 eligible subjects, 87 (17.1%) were positive for HBsAg and only six of them were positive for HBeAg. Compared with HBsAg negative subjects, the ORs (and 95% CIs) for the subjects with chronic hepatitis B to have carotid atherosclerosis were 1.24 (0.73-2.10) indexed by the presence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque (Intima-media thickness, IMT>or=1.3mm), 0.74 (0.38-1.42) by maximal common carotid artery IMT>or=75th percentile, and 1.09 (0.62-1.90) by extracranial carotid artery atherosclerotic score>or=2, with the use of multivariate logistic regression analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis B virus seropositivity was not associated with an increased severity of carotid atherosclerosis in Taiwanese.
Yang
Kai-Chien
KC
Division of Cardiology of the Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hosptial, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chen
Ming-Fong
MF
Su
Ta-Chen
TC
Jeng
Jiann-Shing
JS
Hwang
Bau-Show
BS
Lin
Lian-Yu
LY
Liau
Chiau-Suong
CS
Lee
Yuan-Teh
YT
D000328:Adult; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013624:Taiwan; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens