Effect of previous exposure to HBV on liver histology and treatment response in CHC patients

ABSTRACT

To analyze the influence of previous exposure to HBV on liver histology and treatment outcomes in chronic hepatitis C [CHC] patients. Case control study. Rawalian Liver Clinic, Department of Medicine, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January 2011 to December 2012. Medical records of CHC patients attending the Rawalian Liver Clinic were retrospectively analyzed. Virological and treatment responses along with histological changes were compared between cases [anti-HBc positive] and controls [anti-HBc negative]. Significance was determined through chi-square test at p < 0.05. Among the 592 CHC patients, 254 [42.9%] had serological evidence of a positive anti-HBc [cases] and 338 [57.1%], patients had negative anti-HBc [controls]. No significant difference was found between ETR, SVR and treatment responses [n=220] between the two groups. Out of 65 patients whose liver biopsy data was available, cases were more likely to respond in the absence of fibrosis [63.2%, [n=24] vs. 36.8%, [n=14], p=0.001]. The controls responded more in the presence of fibrosis [100% [n=9] vs. 0, p=0.001]. There was no significant effect of anti-HBc positivity on grades of inflammation and consequent treatment response [p=0.14]. There are a significant number of CHC patients with markers of previous HBV infection in Pakistani population. Previous HBV [anti-HBc positive] does not seem to have an adverse effect on liver histology and treatment responses in HBV infection