Smoking is associated with steatosis and severe fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C but not B.
OBJECTIVE
The results of retrospective studies suggest an association between smoking, insulin resistance, steatosis and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC); no data are available for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship, if any, of such factors on liver fibrosis in a cohort of patients with CHB and CHC.


METHODS
The study prospectively included 271 consecutive patients with CHB (n=95) or CHC (n=176) who had undergone liver biopsies. Each patient completed a questionnaire on smoking habits; anthropometric measurements and laboratory examinations were carried out and histological lesions were recorded.


RESULTS
In CHC patients, severe fibrosis was independently associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) (OR: 1.180, 95% CI: 1.028-1.354; p=0.019), heavy smoking (OR: 3.923, 95% CI: 1.356-11.348; p=0.012), higher alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) levels (OR: 1.010, 95% CI: 1.003-1.017; p=0.005) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (OR: 1.016, 95% CI: 1.001-1.030; p=0.03) and presence of necroinflammation (OR: 11.165, 95% CI: 1.286-96.970; p=0.029). Moreover, steatosis was independently associated with high gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) values, heavy smoking and presence of necroinflammation. In CHB patients, no association between smoking habits and fibrosis or steatosis was noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Heavy smoking is associated with severe fibrosis in CHC but not CHB. Heavy smoking is also significantly associated with steatosis in CHC and this could be the link between smoking and fibrosis progression.
Tsochatzis
Emmanuel
E
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Athens University Medical School, Hippokration General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Papatheodoridis
George V
GV
Manolakopoulos
Spilios
S
Tiniakos
Dina G
DG
Manesis
Emmanuel K
EK
Archimandritis
Athanasios J
AJ
D000328:Adult; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*