Published online Jul 7, 2017. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v23.i25.4587
Peer-review started: January 22, 2017
First decision: March 16, 2014
Revised: March 24, 2014
Accepted: June 19, 2017
Article in press: June 19, 2017
Published online: July 7, 2017
Processing time: 168 Days and 13.5 Hours
To investigate the association of chronic hepatitis B and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with physical fitness in a Taiwanese military male cohort.
We made a cross-sectional examination of this association using 3669 young adult military males according to cardiorespiratory fitness and hospitalization events recorded in the Taiwan Armed Forces study. Cases of chronic hepatitis B (n = 121) were defined by personal history and positive detection of hepatitis B surface antigen. Cases of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (n = 129) were defined by alanine transaminase level > 60 U/L, liver ultrasound finding of steatosis, and absence of viral hepatitis A, B or C infection. All other study participants were defined as unaffected (n = 3419). Physical fitness was evaluated by performance in 3000-m run, 2-min sit-ups, and 2-min push-ups exercises, with all the procedures standardized by a computerized scoring system. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship.
Chronic hepatitis B negatively correlated with 2-min push-up numbers (β = -2.49, P = 0.019) after adjusting for age, service specialty, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, current cigarette smoking, alcohol intake status, serum hemoglobin, and average weekly exercise times. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis was borderline positively correlated with 3000-m running time (β = 11.96, P = 0.084) and negatively correlated with 2-min sit-up numbers (β = -1.47, P = 0.040).
Chronic hepatitis B viral infection and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis affects different physical performances in young adult military males, and future study should determine the underlying mechanism.
Core tip: We investigated the association of chronic hepatitis B and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis with physical fitness in a large population of young adult Taiwanese military males. The results demonstrated that men with chronic hepatitis B had fewer 2-min push-up numbers than unaffected men, whereas men with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis had longer time to complete a 3000-m run and fewer 2-min sit-up numbers than unaffected men. Our findings suggest that chronic hepatitis B and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis might influence different physical performances. The mechanisms underlying the relationship between hepatitis and physical fitness are not fully understood and further investigations are needed.