Hepatic steatosis and metabolic risk factors among patients with chronic hepatitis B: The multicentre, prospective CAP-Asia study

We aimed to compare the severity of liver disease, metabolic profile and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with and without hepatic steatosis and patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Patients with NAFLD and CHB were prospectively enrolled from 10 Asian centres. Fibroscan was performed for all patients and hepatic steatosis was defined based on controlled attenuation parameter >248 dB/m. CVD risk was assessed using the Framingham risk score. The data for 1080 patients were analysed (67% NAFLD, 33% CHB). A high proportion (59%) of CHB patients had hepatic steatosis. There was a significant stepwise increase in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness measurement, from CHB patients without hepatic steatosis to CHB patients with hepatic steatosis to NAFLD patients (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). There was a significant stepwise increase in the proportion of patients with metabolic syndrome and in CVD risk, with very high or extreme CVD risk seen in 20%, 48% and 61%, across the groups (p < 0.001 between CHB patients with and without hepatic steatosis and p < 0.05 between CHB patients with hepatic steatosis and NAFLD patients). In conclusion, there was a high proportion of CHB patients with hepatic steatosis, which should be diagnosed, as they may have more severe liver disease, so that this and their metabolic risk factors can be assessed and managed accordingly for a better long-term outcome.