Metabolic syndrome and liver steatosis occur at lower body mass index in US Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B

Abstract

We have previously shown that ultrasound identifies significant steatosis in patients with chronic HBV (CHB). However, the relationship between CHB, metabolic syndrome (MS) and steatosis is poorly understood. In this tertiary care, single-centre retrospective cohort study of 617 CHB patients, we examined the prevalence of MS and steatosis in a predominantly Asian US cohort. Patients were predominantly male (57%) with a mean age of 53 years, Asian (88%), on HBV therapy (64%) and had undetectable DNA (65%). 21% had MS, of which hypertension (41%), dyslipidemia (41%) and obesity (32%) were most common. Patients with MS were more likely to be older (60 vs 52 [P < 0.001]), have steatosis (40% vs 17% [P < 0.001]) and have a higher ALT (29 vs 25 [P = 0.003]). Of the 22% of patients with steatosis by ultrasound, a higher prevalence of MS (38% vs 16% [P < 0.001]) and higher ALT (31 vs 24 [P < 0.001]) was observed. Asian patients had a lower BMI than non-Asians (mean 24 vs 26 [P = 0.001]) but similar prevalence of MS risk factors and steatosis. Asian patients with a BMI between 25 and 30 and two other MS risk factors had steatosis at the same rate as patients with a BMI > 30 and at least two other MS risk factors. We found a strong association between MS, steatosis and elevated ALT in HBV patients. Asian HBV patients have lower BMI than non-Asians yet have the same prevalence of steatosis and other MS risk factors, supporting guidelines for lower BMI targets in Asians.