Korean J Intern Med.  2012 Mar;27(1):47-52. 10.3904/kjim.2012.27.1.47.

Risk Factors of Cryptogenic Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Low Body Mass Index or without Metabolic Syndrome

• Song HY
• Lee HK
• Lee JS
• Kim JY
• Yim YH
• Song TJ
• Bae WK
• Kim NH
• Kim KA

• KMID: 1776565
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2012.27.1.47

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Many patients are diagnosed with cryptogenic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without metabolic syndrome (MS). We investigated the risk factors for cryptogenic HCC in patients with a low body mass index (BMI) or without MS.
METHODS
Thirty-six patients were diagnosed with cryptogenic HCC over a 10-year period at a tertiary research hospital. Data including BMI score and risk factors for MS were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with fewer than two risk factors for MS (n = 16) were compared with those with two or more risk factors (n = 20). Patients with high BMI (> or = 23 kg/m2, n = 20) were also compared with those with lower BMI (n = 16).
RESULTS
Patients with fewer than two risk factors for MS were significantly more likely to smoke and be hepatitis B surface antibodies (anti-HBs)-positive vs. patients with two or more risk factors. However, only smoking was statistically significant on multivariate analysis. Peaks of BMI were observed in two regions. Lower BMI was significantly associated with the presence of anti-HBs compared with high BMI, although this association was not statistically significant on multivariate analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Smoking is a potential risk factor for cryptogenic HCC in patients without MS. Remote hepatitis B virus infection may be a risk factor for cryptogenic HCC in patients without MS or with a low BMI.

Keyword

Hepatitis B antibodies; Carcinoma, hepatocellular; Metabolic syndrome; Smoking

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
*Body Mass Index
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*epidemiology
Chi-Square Distribution
Female
Hepatitis B/diagnosis/epidemiology
Hepatitis B Antibodies/blood
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens/immunology
Humans
Liver Neoplasms/*epidemiology
Logistic Models
Male
Metabolic Syndrome X/*epidemiology
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Smoking/adverse effects/epidemiology
Time Factors