Myocardial perfusion defects in patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.
OBJECTIVE
The association between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and myocardial injury has yet to be elucidated. We sought to investigate myocardial conditions in patients with chronic HBV infection.


METHODS
In 47 consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis B who had no overt heart disease, we performed electrocardiography, echocardiography, serum tests for myocardial injury, and thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy. Myocardial perfusion defects were confirmed by the severity score (SS), which was calculated as the sum of thallium-201 perfusion defect scores. The SS was followed before and after interferon (IFN) therapy in 10 patients.


RESULTS
Abnormal ECGs were found in 9% of patients with chronic hepatitis B. SS values in the hepatitis group were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.0001). Abnormal SS values were found in 47% of the chronic hepatitis B patients. Independent factors related to higher pretreatment SS were serum HBV DNA titer and IgG level. After interferon (IFN) therapy, the SS values of responders were significantly reduced (P ≤ 0.02); SS values of nonresponders were not significantly different before and after IFN therapy. SS values altered following IFN therapy, along with serum IgG concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Myocardial perfusion defects were found in 47% of the patients with chronic hepatitis B and improved along with HBV reduction with IFN administration. SS improvement was closely correlated with decreases in serum IgG levels.
Maruyama Medical Clinic, Hamada, Japan.
Shigeo
S
Maruyama
Masahiko
M
Koda
Yoshikazu
Y
Murawaki
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D016898:Interferon-alpha
hepatitis B virus; interferon therapy; myocardial injury; thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy