Giuseppina Brancaccio1, Alessandra Nardi2, Salvatore Madonia3, Massimo Fasano4, Gabriella Verucchi5, Marco Massari6, Sergio Maimone7, Carlo Contini8, Fabio Levantesi9, Arianna Alfieri10, Caius Gavrila11, Pietro Andreone12, Michele Milella13, Giovanni B Gaeta14. 1. Department of Molecular Medicine, Infectious Diseases, University of Padua, Italy; Infectious Diseases, Campania University "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppina.brancaccio@unipd.it. 2. Department of Mathematics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. 3. Internal Medicine, V. Cervello Hospital, Palermo, Italy. 4. Infectious Diseases, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy; Infectious Diseases, Fallacara Hospital, Triggiano, Italy. 5. Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 6. Infectious Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera, Reggio Emilia, Italy. 7. Division of Clinical and Molecular Hepatology, University Hospital of Messina, Messina, Italy. 8. Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy. 9. Internal Medicine, Hospital Bentivoglio, Italy. 10. Infectious Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera, Parma, Italy. 11. I.C. Antonio Rosmini, Rome, Italy. 12. Research Center for the Study of Hepatitis, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. 13. Infectious Diseases, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. 14. Infectious Diseases, Campania University "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. AIM: The study is aimed at updating the clinical and epidemiological profile of chronic HBV infection in Italy. METHODS: A cross-sectional multicenter prospective study enrolled consecutive HBsAg positive patients seen in 73 Italian centers in the period 2012-2015. Individual patient data were collected using an electronic platform and analyzed using standard statistical methods. RESULTS: Among 2877 HBsAg positive individuals (median age 49.8 years, 68% males), 27% were non-Italian natives (NINs); 20% had chronic infection, 58.5% chronic hepatitis and 21.5% cirrhosis. Among NINs, age was younger, male gender was less prevalent and liver disease less advanced than in Italians (all p < 0.0001). HBeAg positive cases were 23.6% among NINs vs 8.2% in Italians (p < 0.0001); HDV coinfections 11.1% vs 7.3% (p = 0.006) and HCV coinfections 2.3% vs 4.2% (p = 0.017), respectively. Anti-HDV or anti-HCV antibodies were detected more frequently in patients with cirrhosis. Fifty percent of NINs with cirrhosis were aged below 45 years. CONCLUSION: The study offers an insight into the evolving burden of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the near future and highlights new territories for public health interventions.
BACKGROUND:Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. AIM: The study is aimed at updating the clinical and epidemiological profile of chronic HBV infection in Italy. METHODS: A cross-sectional multicenter prospective study enrolled consecutive HBsAg positive patients seen in 73 Italian centers in the period 2012-2015. Individual patient data were collected using an electronic platform and analyzed using standard statistical methods. RESULTS: Among 2877 HBsAg positive individuals (median age 49.8 years, 68% males), 27% were non-Italian natives (NINs); 20% had chronic infection, 58.5% chronic hepatitis and 21.5% cirrhosis. Among NINs, age was younger, male gender was less prevalent and liver disease less advanced than in Italians (all p < 0.0001). HBeAg positive cases were 23.6% among NINs vs 8.2% in Italians (p < 0.0001); HDV coinfections 11.1% vs 7.3% (p = 0.006) and HCV coinfections 2.3% vs 4.2% (p = 0.017), respectively. Anti-HDV or anti-HCV antibodies were detected more frequently in patients with cirrhosis. Fifty percent of NINs with cirrhosis were aged below 45 years. CONCLUSION: The study offers an insight into the evolving burden of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the near future and highlights new territories for public health interventions.
Authors: Mathias Jachs; Teresa Binter; Caroline Schmidbauer; Lukas Hartl; Michael Strasser; Hermann Laferl; Stephanie Hametner-Schreil; Alexander Lindorfer; Kristina Dax; Rudolf E Stauber; Harald H Kessler; Sebastian Bernhofer; Andreas Maieron; Lorin Loacker; Simona Bota; Isabel Santonja; Petra Munda; Mattias Mandorfer; Markus Peck-Radosavljevic; Heidemarie Holzmann; Michael Gschwantler; Heinz Zoller; Peter Ferenci; Thomas Reiberger Journal: United European Gastroenterol J Date: 2021-12-07 Impact factor: 4.623