DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i07.018

Pages: 2581-2590

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome increased from year to year has led to a bigger chance for interaction between metabolic syndrome and viral hepatitis. Thus, a hepatitis B carrier or a person infected with chronic hepatitis C who has metabolic syndrome may face a higher risk of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. However, the mechanism behind this interaction remains unclear. The study aimed to investigate the interrelation between metabolic syndrome and its components, and hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and fatty liver disease. A cross-sectional study design was used. Data were collected through health examinations at a regional hospital in Kaohsiung City from 2011 to 2015 years. Subjects who had serological exam with positive hepatitis B, hepatitis C, fatty liver visible by abdominal ultrasound were considered as cases. The MetS was defined according to the criteria set by 2007 Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare. The abnormality rate for metabolic syndrome was 17.4%, while the abnormality rates for the components of metabolic syndrome, i.e. (abnormal waist circumference, elevated blood pressure, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)), were 20.1%, 28.8%, 21.4%, 25.1%, and 28.0%, respectively; the abnormality rate for hepatitis B was 15.4%; the abnormality rate for hepatitis C was 2.0%; 59.1% had fatty liver disease. After conducting a logistic regression analysis to investigate the factors influencing the occurrence of hepatitis B, it was found that male participants faced a higher risk (OR=1.47); participants aged 40 or older faced a higher risk (OR=1.27); participants with reduced HDL-C levels faced a higher risk (OR=1.14); and hypertriglyceridemia was a protective factor (OR=0.67). An analysis of the factors influencing the occurrence of hepatitis C indicated that participants aged 40 or older faced a higher risk (OR=2.13); and reduced HDL-C level was a protective factor (OR=0.67).