Korean J Intern Med.  2022 Sep;37(5):1082-1087. 10.3904/kjim.2021.452.

Changes in the prevalence of hepatitis B and metabolic abnormalities among young men in Korea

• Song BG
• Sinn DH
• Kang W
• Gwak GY
• Paik YH
• Choi MS
• Lee JH
• Koh KC
• Paik SW

• KMID: 2533150
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2021.452

Abstract

Changes in the prevalence of disease over time provide valuable information from a public health perspective. We used data from Korea Military Manpower Administration medical examinations for conscription between 2003 and 2019 (n = 5,355,941), which involved young men aged 19 years, to observe changes in liver disease over time at a population level. Trends in the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, obesity, and hypertension were assessed. The prevalence of HBsAg steadily decreased from 3.19% for men born in 1984 to 0.18% for men born in 2000. Among HBsAg-negative subjects, the prevalence of elevated ALT levels increased from 13.15% for men born in 1986 to 16.48% for men born in 2000. The prevalence of obesity, hypertension and the proportion with high FIB-4 scores (≥ 1.45) also increased. This population-based nationwide analysis showed a decreasing trend of HBsAg and increasing trends of possible non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Keyword

Hepatitis B; chronic; Alanine transaminase; Korea