Hepatitis Viral Infection and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness.
- Author:
Seul Ki JEONG
1
;
Man Wook SEO
;
Young Hyun KIM
;
Young Kon KIM
;
Dal Sik KIM
;
Yong Ju SHIN
Author Information
1. Department of Neurology, Chonbuk National University Medical School Jeonju, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Hepatitis;
Intima-media thickness;
Vaccination;
Population
- MeSH:
Antibodies;
Carotid Artery Diseases;
Carotid Artery, Internal;
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness*;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Hepatitis B;
Hepatitis B Surface Antigens;
Hepatitis*;
Immunoglobulin G;
Jeollabuk-do;
Vaccination
- From:Journal of the Korean Neurological Association
2006;24(6):544-549
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Carotid atherosclerosis has been known to be associated with systemic inflammatory status. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between hepatitis viral infection or vaccination and carotid atherosclerosis in a relatively healthy population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed in 281 subjects (mean age+/-SD, y; 43.8+/-7.2) in the Chonbuk national university hospital. All the participants were examined for the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in both common carotid, carotid bulb, and internal carotid arteries. Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and IgG antibodies against hepatitis B and C virus (anti-HBs and anti-HCV) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: Twelve subjects (4.3%) were HBsAg seropositive and 6 (2.1%) were anti-HCV positive but the positivity did not affect the mean carotid IMT. However, the hepatitis B-exposure group including both the HBsAg positive and anti-HBs positive without vaccination history showed a significantly higher carotid IMT (mean+/-SD, mm; 0.757+/-0.107 vs. 0.728+/-0.105, P=0.031), even after adjusting for the potential confounders. And, in the subgroup having anti-HBs, the carotid IMT was lower in the hepatitis B vaccinated subjects than in the others (0.725+/-0.103 vs. 0.760+/-0.111, P=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects exposed to the hepatitis B pathogen, even though they had anti-HBs, showed the higher carotid IMT, and the participants with a vaccination history demonstrated the lower IMT values. Subsequent study in a large representative population might be needed to further delineate the characteristic associations.
