Clinical impacts of hazardous alcohol use and obesity on the outcome of entecavir therapy in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical impacts of obesity and hazardous alcohol use on the outcome of entecavir (ETV) therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients.


METHODS
The medical records of 88 treatment-naïve patients who were diagnosed with CHB and received ETV between March 2007 and September 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Body mass index (BMI) values and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores were obtained at 6 months after the initiation of ETV (0.5 mg daily) treatment.


RESULTS
A BMI of 25 kg/m(2) or more was recognized as an indicator of obesity, and a total AUDIT score of 8 or more was recognized as an indicator of hazardous alcohol use. Of the cohort, 24 patients (27.3%) were obese and 17 (19.3%) were hazardous alcohol users. The rate of seroconversion, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization, and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA negativity (<300 copies/mL) at 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment did not differ significantly between the normal-BMI and high-BMI groups. Moreover, the rate of seroconversion and HBV-DNA negativity at 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment did not differ significantly between the nonhazardous and hazardous alcohol users. However, the frequency of ALT normalization at 12 months was significantly lower among hazardous alcohol users (91.5% vs. 70.6%; P=0.033).


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity and hazardous alcohol drinking have no significant impact on the outcome of ETV treatment. However, the ALT normalization rate at 12 months after initiation of ETV treatment was significantly lower among the hazardous alcohol users.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Won Gil
WG
Chung
Hong Joo
HJ
Kim
Young Gil
YG
Choe
Hyo Sun
HS
Seok
Chang Wook
CW
Chon
Yong Kyun
YK
Cho
Byung Ik
BI
Kim
Young Yool
YY
Koh
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006147:Guanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; C413685:entecavir; D006147:Guanine; D000410:Alanine Transaminase