Hepatic steatosis is uncommon in children with chronic hepatitis B.
BACKGROUND
Differently from chronic hepatitis C, factors associated with hepatic steatosis in children with chronic hepatitis B are not clearly elucidated.


OBJECTIVE
Aim of this study was to investigate prevalence of steatosis at liver biopsy in HBV-infected children.


METHODS
A retrospective study including 56 children with chronic hepatitis B undergoing liver biopsy at median age of 8.1 years. In all patients demographic, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory data were evaluated at the time of liver biopsy.


RESULTS
Steatosis was present in 2 (4%) children. BMI was significantly higher in 2 patients with steatosis compared with those without steatosis. Demographic, biochemical and virological parameters did not differ between children with and those without steatosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Liver steatosis in HBV-infected children seems to be related to obesity and metabolic factors rather than to viral factors. Detection of steatosis in non-obese children with HBV infection requires a careful investigation to rule out other causes of fatty liver.
Giannattasio
Antonietta
A
Department of Pediatrics, University Federico II, Naples, Italy.
Cirillo
Francesco
F
Terlizzi
Vito
V
Liccardo
Daniela
D
Vecchione
Raffaella
R
Iorio
Raffaele
R
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies