title: Hepatic steatosis: prevalence and host/viral risk factors in Iranian patients with chronic hepatitis B infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In chronic hepatitis B (CHB), the presence of hepatic steatosis (HS) seems to be associated with known host and viral factors which may influence the long-term prognosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB), probably leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Different from chronic hepatitis C (CHC), factors associated with HS in CHB are not clearly explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  160 CHB patients were divided into two groups depending on the results of liver biopsy. Group I consisted of 71 patients with confirmed steatosis. Group II comprised 89 patients without steatosis. The groups were compared in terms of basal characteristics, body mass index (BMI), liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP), serum fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipids, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), viral load, and histological findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In terms of host factors, male gender, older age, BMI, high serum FBS and lipid levels were associated with HS. On the other hand, ALT levels, the HAI scores of necroinflammation and stage of fibrosis did not associate with HS. On multivariate analysis, parameters of sex, BMI, cholesterol and FBS levels were independently associated with HS. Regarding viral factors, HBeAg negativity was significantly associated with HS (81.7%, p value 0.006), but not HBV DNA level (p value 0.520).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HS in CHB appears to be unrelated to the status of HBV replication. However, fibrosis progression in CHB is related to variable host factors. HS may be enhanced through these factors in HBV chronic patients.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis B Molecular Laboratory, Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran E-mail : jazayerism@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Vahdat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poortahmasebi
authors.forename: Seyed Moayed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Alavian
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keyvani
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norouzi
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahmoodi
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jazayeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D002784:Cholesterol; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase