Association between Body Mass Index and Hepatitis B antibody seropositivity in children
- Author:
Yoowon KWON
1
;
Su Jin JEONG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Anti-HBs; Hepatitis B; Seropositivity rate; BMI z score; Child
- MeSH: Adolescent; Adult; Antibodies; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Child; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology); Female; Growth Charts; Healthy Volunteers; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis; Humans; Immunoassay; Male; Methods; Obesity; Vaccination
- From:Korean Journal of Pediatrics 2019;62(11):416-421
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND: The seropositivity rate of hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) antibodies is known to be ≥95% after hepatitis B virus vaccination during infancy. However, a low level or absence of anti-HBs in healthy children is discovered in many cases. Recent studies in adults reported that a reduced anti-HBs production rate is related to obesity.PURPOSE: To investigate whether body mass index (BMI) affects anti-HBs levels in healthy children following 3 serial dose vaccinations in infancy.METHODS: We recruited 1,200 healthy volunteers aged 3, 5, 7, or 10 years from 4-day care centers and 4 elementary schools. All subjects completed a questionnaire including body weight, height, and vaccine type received. Levels of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-HBs in all subjects were analyzed using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The standardized scores (z score) for each sex and age were obtained using the lambda-mu-sigma method in the 2017 Korean National Growth Charts for children and adolescents.RESULTS: Our subjects (n=1,200) comprised 750 males (62.5%) and 450 females (37.5%). The overall anti-HBs seropositivity rate was 57.9% (695 of 1,200). We identified significant differences in mean BMI values between seronegative and seropositive groups (17.45 vs. 16.62, respectively; P<0.001). The anti-HBs titer was significantly decreased as the BMI z score increased adjusting for age and sex (B=-15.725; standard error=5.494; P=0.004). The probability of anti-HBs seropositivity based on BMI z score was decreased to an OR of 0.820 after the control for confounding variables (95% confidence interval, 0.728–0.923; P=0.001).CONCLUSION: There was a significant association between anti-HBs titer and BMI z score after adjustment for age and sex. Our results indicate that BMI is a potential factor affecting anti-HBs titer in healthy children.
