Association between hepatitis B/C viral infection, chronic kidney disease and insulin resistance in individuals undergoing general health screening.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have shown that hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may be associated with glomerulonephritis.


METHODS
In the current study, we investigated the possible association between HBV/HCV infection, estimated GFR (eGFR) and albuminuria by analyzing cross-sectional data from individuals undergoing general health screening.


RESULTS
Of 12 535 individuals enrolled, 130 (1.0%) and 72 (0.6%) tested positive for HBV surface antigen and HCV core antigen, respectively. In comparison with hepatitis-negative individuals, the prevalence of low eGFR and albuminuria was significantly greater in individuals with HCV infection, but not in those with HBV infection. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, systolic blood pressure and fasting plasma glucose showed that HCV infection was positively associated with low eGFR (odds ratio 1.63 [95% CI 0.95-2.80, P = 0.077] ) and with albuminuria (odds ratio 2.00 [95% CI 1.06-3.76, P = 0.003] ). By contrast, prevalence of neither low eGFR nor albuminuria was greater in individuals with HBV infection than in hepatitis-negative subjects. Further adjustment for either HOMA-IR or serum alanine aminotransferase levels abolished the statistical significance in the association between HCV infection and albuminuria.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that although both HCV and HBV infection are associated with increased insulin resistance, the different viruses may have different impacts on chronic kidney disease among Japanese individuals undergoing general health screening.
Ishizaka
Nobukazu
N
Departments of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan.
Ishizaka
Yuko
Y
Seki
George
G
Nagai
Ryozo
R
Yamakado
Minoru
M
Koike
Kazuhiko
K