Chronic HBV associated with twice the risk of liver-related death compared to HCV
The risk of death due to liver disease is twice as high for patients with chronic hepatitis B infection compared to individuals with chronic hepatitis C, US researchers report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The study involved gay and other men who have sex with men, most of whom were HIV positive. Hepatitis B remained associated with a two-fold increase in the risk of liver-related death when analysis was restricted to HIV-positive individuals. The risk of liver-related mortality was especially high for people with a low CD4 cell count.
