Korean J Intern Med.  2023 Nov;38(6):844-853. 10.3904/kjim.2023.197.

Impact of hepatitis B virus infection on the risk of gallbladder polyps: a cohort study

• Kim NH
• Kim HJ
• Kang JH

• KMID: 2547642
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2023.197

Abstract

Background/Aims
We aimed to determine whether hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains an important risk factor for gallbladder polyps (GBPs) in the current context of reduced prevalence of these infections.
Methods
The cohort included 392,913 asymptomatic adults who underwent abdominal ultrasonography (US).
Results
The prevalence of GBP sized ≥ 5 mm, ≥ 10 mm, and overall (< 5, 5–9 and ≥ 10 mm) was 2.9%, 0.1%, and 12.8%, respectively. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb), and hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) positivity was 3.2%, 26.7%, and 0.1%, respectively. The GBP risk was significantly increased in HBsAg-positive individuals, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.66 (95% confidence interval, 1.49–1.85) for GBP ≥ 5 mm, 2.39 (1.53–3.75) for GBP ≥ 10 mm, and 1.49 (1.41–1.59) for overall, whereas there was no significant association between anti-HCV positivity and GBP risk. The GBP risk did not increase significantly in individuals who tested negative for HBsAg but positive for HBcAb.
Conclusions
The presence of HBsAg may be an independent risk factor for GBP development in the current context of a indecreasing prevalence of HBsAg positivity. A more comprehensive evaluation of GBP during abdominal US surveillance of HBsAg-positive individuals may be necessary.

Keyword

Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis C virus; Gallbladder neoplasms