Sex differences in relation to serum hepatitis B e antigen and alanine aminotransferase levels among asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11023040&dopt=Abstract

J Gastroenterol 2000;35(9):690-5

Sex differences in relation to serum hepatitis B e antigen and alanine aminotransferase levels among asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers.

Tsai JF, Chuang LY, Jeng JE, Ho MS, Lin ZY, Hsieh MY, Wang LY, Tsai JH.

Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University College of Medicine, Taiwan.

This study aimed to investigate sex differences in relation to hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels in chronic asymptomatic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. HBeAg and ALT level were determined in 636 asymptomatic hepatitis B surface antigen carriers. There was no significant sex differences in the age-adjusted prevalence of HBeAg. Abnormal ALT level (>45 IU/l) was more frequent in carriers with HBeAg (17.5% vs 7.6%; P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that male sex (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-3.6) and HBeAg (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-4.3) were independent risk factors for abnormal ALT levels. Male sex and HBeAg-positivity are independent risk factors for abnormal ALT activity in chronic HBV infection. This observation may be related to sex differences in chronic HBV infection.

PMID: 11023040 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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