Gut Liver.  2019 Mar;13(2):197-205. 10.5009/gnl18204.

Liver Cirrhosis, Not Antiviral Therapy, Predicts Clinical Outcome in Cohorts with Heterogeneous Hepatitis B Viral Status

• Kim MN
• Hwang SG
• Kim BK
• Park JY
• Kim DY
• Han KH
• Kim SU
• Ahn SH

• KMID: 2446805
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5009/gnl18204

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Antiviral therapy (AVT) reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This multicenter retrospective study investigated the effects of AVT and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related factors on the risk of HCC development in a cohort with heterogeneous HBV status.
METHODS
A total of 1,843 patients with CHB from two institutions were included in this study. Ultrasound and laboratory tests, including the α-fetoprotein test, were conducted regularly to detect HCC development.
RESULTS
The mean age of our study population (1,063 men and 780 women) was 49.4 years. Cirrhosis was identified in 617 patients (33.5%). During follow-up (median, 42.5 months), 81 patients developed HCC (1.39% per person-year). A total of 645 patients (35.0%) received ongoing AVT at enrollment. Ongoing AVT was not significantly associated with the risk of HCC development (all p>0.05). HBV-related variables (HBV DNA level, hepatitis B e antigen status, and alanine aminotransferase level) were also not significantly associated with the risk of HCC development (all p>0.05). In contrast, cirrhosis was significantly associated with the risk of HCC development, regardless of adjustment (adjusted hazard ratio=4.098 to 7.020; all p<0.05). Cirrhosis significantly predicted the risk of HCC development in subgroups with and without ongoing AVT at enrollment, regardless of adjustment.
CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that cirrhosis, not AVT and HBV-related variables, was associated with HCC development in a cohort of patients with heterogeneous HBV status. Our results may help clinicians apply individualized surveillance strategies according to fibrotic status in patients with CHB.

Keyword

Liver cirrhosis; Fibrosis; Antiviral therapy; Hepatitis B; Clinical outcome

MeSH Terms

Alanine Transaminase
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular
Cohort Studies*
DNA
Fibrosis
Follow-Up Studies
Hepatitis B virus
Hepatitis B*
Hepatitis B, Chronic
Hepatitis*
Humans
Liver Cirrhosis*
Liver*
Male
Retrospective Studies
Ultrasonography
Alanine Transaminase
DNA