Asymptomatic chronic hepatitis B virus infection does not increase the risk of diabetes mellitus: A ten-year observation

• Published in: Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology 2010-08, Vol.25 (8), p.1420-1425
• Main Authors: Huang, Zei-Shung, Huang, Tien-Shang, Wu, Tzy-Haw, Chen, Ming-Fong, Hsu, Ching-Sheng, Kao, Jia-Horng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Carrier State; Case-Control Studies; Chi-Square Distribution; Chronic infection; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnosis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - virology; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; glucose intolerance; Hepatitis B virus; Hepatitis B, Chronic - complications; Hepatitis B, Chronic - diagnosis; Hepatitis B, Chronic - epidemiology; Hepatitis C virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; insulin resistance; Logistic Models; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Prevalence; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Taiwan - epidemiology; Time Factors; Viral diseases; Viral hepatitis
• ISSN: 0815-9319; 1440-1746
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2010.06268.x

Background and Aim:  Chronic hepatitis C virus infection has been known to increase the risk of diabetes. Whether this association holds true for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains unclear. We thus conducted this study to investigate the influence of asymptomatic chronic HBV infection on the incidence of diabetes in a longitudinal cohort. Methods:  A total of 1233 adults who received health examinations in 1997–1998 and in 2000–2001 were enrolled. Among them, 483 subjects who received a third health examination in 2006–2008 were further sampled. The prevalence and incidence of diabetes between asymptomatic HBV carriers and non‐HBV controls were compared using the χ2‐test and logistic regression. Results:  In 1997–1998, the prevalence rates of diabetes (9.49 and 12.0%) and glucose intolerance (28.5 and 25.4%) in HBV carriers and non‐HBV controls were comparable (P > 0.05). There was no significant correlation between asymptomatic HBV infection and the presence of diabetes in subjects examined in 1997–1998, 2000–2001, or 2006–2008 when adjusted for age, gender, and body mass index (P > 0.05). In 296 non‐diabetic subjects during 1997–1998, the ten‐year incidence of diabetes/glucose intolerance was similar between HBV carriers and non‐HBV controls (40.0 and 38.7%, P > 0.05). Moreover, no significant correlation was found between asymptomatic HBV infection and the incidence of diabetes/glucose intolerance in 2006–2008 (P = 0.775). Conclusions:  Compared to non‐HBV controls, subjects with asymptomatic chronic HBV infection do not have an increased risk of diabetes, and thus HBV itself is not pro‐diabetic.