Latent hepatitis B is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma cases

	HCV Ab(+), HCV RNA(+) (n = 108)	HCV Ab(+) (n = 77)	P value
Age (yr), mean ± SD	60.88 ± 8.6	59.42 ± 7.4	0.88
Males	73.10%	67.53%	0.32
African American	75.90%	72.70%	0.22
	n = 70	n = 52	0.20
BMI (kg/m2)	29.56 ± 6.11	27.88 ± 5.2
HIV coinfection	10.20%	7.60%	0.16
Heavy alcohol use	37.03%	48.05%	0.04

HCV Ab: Hepatitis C virus antibody; HCV DNA: Hepatitis C DNA; BMI: Body mass index; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus.

Table 2 Comparison of variables in cases and controls

	CHC with HCC (n = 185)	CHC without HCC (n = 356)	P value
Age (yr), mean ± SD	60.3 ± 9.71	59.72 ± 9.2
Males	70.80%	71.10%
Race AA	74.60%	78.70%
CAU	21.60%	18.50%
Other	3.80%	2.80%
BMI (kg/m2)	n = 122	n = 320
	28.8 ± 6.01	27.26 ± 5.9
Albumin	n = 178	n = 289
	2.67 ± 0.7	3.88 ± 0.6	< 0.01
PT (s)	n = 171	n = 242
	16.69 ± 8.6	11.57 ± 2.5	< 0.01
AFP (ng/mL)	n = 163	n = 284
	99035.1 ± 263605.5	21.12 ± 90.4
Platelets	n = 172	n = 337
	176.5 ± 127	202.98 ± 83.4	0.04
ALT (IU/L)	n = 166	n = 345
	263.8 ± 518.2	78.19 ± 58.3	< 0.01
AST (IU/L)	n = 160	n = 324
	283.8 ± 63.5	75.2 ± 55.9	< 0.01
HIV co-infection	8.10%	2.50%	0.05
Alcohol
Mild	29.7%	27.50%	NS
Heavy	41.60%	27%	0.03
Non drinkers	10.80%	31.70%	< 0.01

AST: Aspartate aminotransferase; ALT: Alanine aminotransferase; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus; BMI: Body mass index; PT: Prothrombin time; AFP: Alpha feto-protein; NS: Not significant.

Table 3 Univariate analysis predicting the following

	OR (95%CI)	P value
HCC in patients with CHC
HBcAb(+)	1.90 (1.28-3.04)	0.02
HBsAb(-) and HBcAb(+)	3.24 (2.28-4.62)	< 0.01
HCC in cirrhotic patients with CHC
HBcAb(+)	1.54 (1.18-2.54)	0.02
HBsAb(-) and HBcAb(+)	2.14 (1.68-3.82)	0.01
HCC in patients with CHC when controlled for covariates1
HBcAb(+)	1.84 (1.22-3.08)	0.01
HBsAb(-) and HBcAb(+)	2.98 (2.12-5.08)	< 0.01
HCC in cirrhotic patients with CHC when controlled for covariates1
HBcAb(+)	1.66 (1.22-3.24)	0.01
HBsAb(-) and HBcAb(+)	2.10 (1.72-4.04)	< 0.01
HCC in cirrhotic African American patients with CHC when controlled for covariates1
HBcAb(+)	2.08 (1.42-3.6)	< 0.01
HBsAb(-) and HBcAb(+)	2.58 (1.82-4.44)	< 0.01

¹Body mass index, albumin, prothrombin time, human immunodeficiency virus co-infection and alcohol consumption. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; CHC: Chronic hepatitis C; HBcAb: Hepatitis B surface antibody; HBcAb: Hepatitis B core antibody.