Influence of weight management on the prognosis of steatohepatitis in chronic hepatitis B patients during antiviral treatment
Xiujuan Chang, Yiwen Shi, Jing Wang, Huabao Liu, Yan Chen, Xiaoning Zhu, Yong‐Ping Chen, Zujiang Yu, Qing-Hua Shang, Lin Tan, Qin Li, Jiang Li, Guangming Xiao, Liang Chen, Wei Lu, Xiaoyu Hu, Qinghua Long, Linjing An, Ziyuan Zou, Vincent Wai‐Sun Wong, Yongping Yang, Jian‐Gao Fan
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although concomitant nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is common in chronic hepatitis B (CHB), the impact of viral factors on NASH and the outcome of CHB patients concomitant with NASH remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the outcomes of NASH in CHB patients receiving antiviral treatment. METHODS: In the post-hoc analysis of a multicenter trial, naïve CHB patients receiving 72-week entecavir treatment were enrolled. We evaluated the biochemical, viral and histopathological responses of these patients. The histopathological features of NASH were also evaluated, using paired liver biopsies at baseline and week 72. RESULTS: (OR: 12.506; 95% CI: 2.813-55.606; P = 0.001) and weight gain (OR: 5.126; 95% CI: 1.674-15.694; P = 0.005) were predictors of incident NASH. CONCLUSIONS: Lower BMI and weight reduction but not virologic factors determine NASH resolution in CHB. The value of weight management in CHB patients during antiviral treatment deserves further evaluation.