title: Hepatitis B virus seropositivity is not associated with increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis in Taiwanese.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology of the Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hosptial, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kai-Chien
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ming-Fong
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ta-Chen
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jiann-Shing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: Bau-Show
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Lian-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chiau-Suong
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Liau
authors.forename: Yuan-Teh
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens