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Potential associations between perihepatic lymph node enlargement and liver fibrosis, hepatocellular injury or hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Author(s) -
Sato Masaya,
Hikita Hiromi,
Hagiwara Shu,
Sato Mamiko,
Soroida Yoko,
Suzuki Atsushi,
Gotoh Hiroaki,
Iwai Tomomi,
Kojima Soichi,
Matsuura Tomokazu,
Yotsuyanagi Hiroshi,
Koike Kazuhiko,
Yatomi Yutaka,
Ikeda Hitoshi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/hepr.12361
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , gastroenterology , fibrosis , hepatitis b virus , chronic liver disease , hepatitis b , lymph node , liver injury , cirrhosis , virus , immunology
Aim Although perihepatic lymph node enlargement ( PLNE ) is frequently observed in chronic liver disease, little is known about PLNE in chronic hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) infection. We aimed to evaluate this issue. Methods We originally enrolled a consecutive 502 patients with chronic HBV infection. Among them, 288 patients without history of interferon‐based or nucleoside analog treatment and hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) were primarily analyzed. Results PLNE was detected in 27 of 288 (9.4%) patients, which was fewer than that in chronic hepatitis C patients but more than that in subjects undertaking a general health examination as previously reported. The presence of PLNE was significantly associated with a higher probability of having an aspartate aminotransferase ( AST ) platelet ratio index of more than 1.5 (11.1% vs 1.5%, P = 0.01), a higher AST level (38.0 vs 26.8 U/L, P = 0.001), a higher alanine aminotransferase level (50.1 vs 28.0 U/L, P < 0.0001), and a lower platelet count (18.6 vs 20.6 × 10 4 / μ L, P = 0.048) after adjustment for sex and age. However, in our original sample ( n = 502), PLNE was observed in 1.4% of the patients with HCC and/or its history whereas 9.2% of the patients without HCC , and the proportion was significantly lower in patients with HCC and/or its history ( P = 0.03). Conclusion PLNE was associated with liver fibrosis and hepatocellular injury, but was negatively associated with HCC in chronic HBV infection.