Prolonged infection with hepatitis B virus and association between low blood cholesterol concentration and liver cancer.

Chen, Z; Keech, A; Collins, R; Slavin, B; Chen, J; Campbell, T; Peto, R

Journal article

Prolonged infection with hepatitis B virus and association between low blood cholesterol concentration and liver cancer.

Abstract:: OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prolonged infection with hepatitis B virus is associated with a lower blood cholesterol concentration. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: 81 villages in rural China with a high prevalence of chronic infection with hepatitis B virus. SUBJECTS: 1556 apparently healthy men aged 35-64 years, randomly selected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hepatitis B virus carrier state; plasma concentrations of cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and apolipoprotein A I. RESULTS: 238 (15%) of the men were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen, indicating that they were chronic carriers. Plasma concentration of cholesterol was 4.2% (0.11 mmol/l) lower among carriers (that is, positive for hepatitis B surface antigen) than among non-carriers (95% confidence interval 0.6% to 8.0% (0.01 to 0.21 mmol/l), p < 0.05), and apolipoprotein B concentration was 7.0% (0.036 g/l) lower (2.8% to 11.2% (0.014 to 0.058 g/l), p < 0.001). In contrast, no association was observed between plasma concentrations of cholesterol or apolipoprotein and hepatitis B that had been eradicated (that is, patient positive for hepatitis B core antibody but negative for hepatitis B surface antigen). CONCLUSIONS: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection, which usually starts in early childhood in China, seems to lead not only to a greatly increased risk of death from liver disease but also to a somewhat lower cholesterol concentration in adulthood. This common cause produces an inverse association between cholesterol concentration and risk of death from liver cancer or from other chronic liver diseases.

Publication status:: Published

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APA Style

Chen, Z., Keech, A., Collins, R., Slavin, B., Chen, J., Campbell, T., & Peto, R. (1993). Prolonged infection with hepatitis B virus and association between low blood cholesterol concentration and liver cancer. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 306(6882), 890–894.

MLA Style

Chen, Z., et al. “Prolonged Infection with Hepatitis B Virus and Association between Low Blood Cholesterol Concentration and Liver Cancer.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), vol. 306, no. 6882, 1993, pp. 890–94.

Chicago Style

Chen, Z, A Keech, R Collins, B Slavin, J Chen, T Campbell, and R Peto. 1993. “Prolonged Infection with Hepatitis B Virus and Association between Low Blood Cholesterol Concentration and Liver Cancer.” BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) 306 (6882): 890–94.
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