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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 21, 2014; 20(23): 7213-7216
Published online Jun 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i23.7213
Association between metabolic factors and chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Chien-Hsieh Chiang, Kuo-Chin Huang
Chien-Hsieh Chiang, Kuo-Chin Huang, Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Chien-Hsieh Chiang, Department of Community and Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, Yunlin 640, Taiwan
Kuo-Chin Huang, Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
Author contributions: Chiang CH and Huang KC designed the study and wrote the article.
Correspondence to: Kuo-Chin Huang, MD, PhD, Professor, Head, Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, 7 Chung Shan South Road, Taipei 100, Taiwan. bretthuang@ntu.edu.tw
Telephone: +886-2-23123456 Fax: +886-2-23118674
Received: October 23, 2013
Revised: December 29, 2013
Accepted: February 26, 2014
Published online: June 21, 2014
Processing time: 240 Days and 14.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Facing the increasing burden of metabolic syndrome and chronic hepatitis B worldwide, this review tries to highlight the association of metabolic factors with chronic hepatitis B. Intriguingly, hepatitis B virus carriers are reported to have higher serum adiponectin levels, previously linked with individuals with low body mass index. Obesity and hypertriglyceridemia (metabolically bad factors) are inversely associated with high hepatitis B viral load; a crucial predictor for primary liver cancer. In contrast, serum adiponectin levels (a metabolically good factor) are positively related to high hepatitis B viral load in individuals with high body mass index.