Detection of Hepatitis B Virus DNA in Sera of the Patients with HBsAg-negative Alcoholic Liver Disease Using Polymerase Chain Reaction in Korea

Song, Il Han; Choi, Jeong; Roe, Im Hwan; Yang, Mieraha

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Risk factors for the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are the duration and magnitude of alcohol ingestion, gender, hepatitis B or C viral (HBV or HCV) infection, nutritional status, and genetic factors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of HBV infection in the development of HBsAg-negative ALD in Korea.
METHODS
Fifty eight controls and one hundred thirty ALD patients were included in this study. The ALD patients consumed alcohol more than 80 g daily for at least 5 years and were negative for HBsAg and anti-HCV. In addition, they had no other factors for developing liver disease and showed positive biochemical parameters for ALD. The detection of serum HBV-DNA was performed by polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS
The overall detection rate (16.9%) of HBV-DNA in ALD patients was higher than that (6.9%) in normal controls, but the difference was not statistically significant. Detection rate of HBV-DNA was 9.8%. in patients with alcoholic hepatitis, 19.8% in the patients with cirrhosis and 25% in the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The rate of cirrhotic patients was significantly higher than that of normal controls (p=0.033). The HBV-DNA detection rate (25%) in ALD patients positive for anti-HBc was significantly higher than that (6.9%) in ALD patients negative for anti-HBc (p=0.006).
CONCLUSIONS
HBV infection may be involved in the development of ALD of patients who were HBsAg- negative chronic alcoholics in Korea.