title: Hepatitis B virus infection and metabolic syndrome: fact or fiction?
abstract: Although hepatitis C virus infection is known to be linked with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hepatic steatosis, the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and metabolic factors remains unclear. HBV infection is a health problem worldwide, especially in endemic regions such as Asia and Africa. It induces liver decompensation, cirrhosis, hepatocellualr carcinoma, and premature mortality. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome continues to increase in parallel with the epidemic of obesity, which is closely associated with the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or even cancer. The systemic review shows that chronic HBV infection protects against instead of promotes fatty liver. The mechanism is possibly due to a lower frequency of dyslipidemia profile in patients with chronic HBV infection. The association of HBV with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and the risk of arteriosclerosis is still inconclusive. In addition, obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome may accelerate the progression of liver disease in patients with chronic HBV infection and synergistically induce cirrhosis or even hepatocellualr carcinoma development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tai-Chung
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Jia-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: arteriosclerosis; fatty liver; hepatitis B virus; insulin resistance; lipid; metabolic syndrome