title: Clinical and laboratory characteristics associated with dyslipidemia and liver steatosis in chronic HBV carriers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and liver steatosis (LS) are the most common causes of chronic liver disease, and their coexistence is frequently observed in clinical practice. Although metabolic syndrome is the main cause of LS, it has not been associated with HBV infection. The aims of this study were to describe the lipid profile and prevalence of LS among HBV carriers and to identify the characteristics associated with LS in this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective cross-sectional study included hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive patients evaluated during 2011 and 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 83 patients included, the mean age was 46.4±12.5 years, 53% were men, and 9.1% were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) -positive. These patients exhibited the following lipid profile: total cholesterol = 175.4±38.8mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) = 113.0±32.7mg/dL, and triglycerides = 91.1±45.2mg/dL. Their fasting glucose was 95.3±14.5g/dL, and fasting insulin was 6.1±5.9µIU/mL. Liver steatosis was observed on abdominal ultrasound in 11.3% of individuals. Factors associated with the presence of LS included higher levels of total cholesterol, prothrombin activity, fasting insulin, and body mass index (BMI) as well as lower levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that LS in patients with chronic HBV appears to be a consequence of metabolic alterations and insulin action rather than of viral factors.
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Angélica Luciana
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Nau
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Júlia Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Maria Beatriz Cacese
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Shiozawa
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Esther Buzaglo
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Dantas-Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Leonardo de Lucca
authors.initials: Lde L
authors.lastname: Schiavon
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos em Gastroenterologia e Hepatologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC.
authors.forename: Janaína Luz
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Narciso-Schiavon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids