title: Aflatoxin exposure and hepatitis C virus in advanced liver disease in a hepatitis C virus endemic area in Taiwan.
abstract: This community-based study evaluated the role of aflatoxin exposure in advanced liver disease in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-endemic townships. Preventive health examination was performed on 314 adults > or = 40 years of age recruited from HCV-endemic townships in Tainan, Taiwan. Aflatoxin-albumin in serum was quantified by a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. After adjusting serum albumin levels and platelet counts, aflatoxin-Bi albumin adducts was still an independent risk factor for advanced liver disease among all 314 residents (> 8 versus < or = 8 (AFBi)-albumin/albumin; OR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.23-4.27, P = 0.009) and particularly in anti-HCV-positive subjects (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.09-4.0, P = 0.026). Levels of AFB1-albumin/albumin were significantly related to ultrasonographic parenchyma scores (P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA) in all and anti-HCV-positive subjects. The findings indicated aflatoxin exposure may be associated with advanced liver disease in chronic hepatitis C patients in HCV-endemic regions in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Kaohsiung Medical Center, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mei-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing-Houng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chao-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Tsung-Hui
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Shui-Cheng
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hung-Da
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: Chuan-Mo
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chi-Sin
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Changchien
authors.forename: Pao-Fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mei-Chin
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Sheng-Nan
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000097:blood; D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D003625:Data Collection; D018450:Disease Progression; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D000418:Albumins; C098408:aflatoxin-albumin adduct; D016604:Aflatoxin B1