Researchers investigated the relationship between chronic hepatitis B infection and chronic kidney disease in half a million adults in China. They found that chronic hepatitis B increased the odds of a person going on to develop kidney complications- this effect was accelerated when a person also had diabetes, a sedentary life style and a tobacco habit. Learn more about your CKD risk with MNB.
Hepatitis B rates in China
In 2010, over 10% of adults in China had chronic kidney disease. People diagnosed with this condition have kidney damage or have shown signs of decreased kidney function for at least three months. Diabetes, high blood pressure, age, obesity, smoking, and cardiovascular disease are all risk factors for chronic kidney disease. Hepatitis B infection is also known to negatively affect kidney function; in fact, a recent study in BMC Medicine reported that it is linked to a higher risk of kidney disease.
Using an existing health database from the China Kadoorie Biobank, researchers collected data from almost half a million Chinese adults over four years to assess rates of both coinditions and to probe the relationship between the two. Between 2004 and 2008, the Biobank collected health data from participants at the start of the study and continued to monitor their health until the end of 2015. This long-term health information allowed researchers to study chronic kidney disease in relation to hepatitis B status, socio-demographic factors (age, education level, marital status) and lifestyle behaviors (diet, smoking status, exercise level, alcohol consumption).
How did Hepatitis B status affect kidney disease?
Only three percent of participants had hepatitis B, however, after analyzing the data and adjusting for various health and lifestyle factors, the researchers found that chronic hepatitis B infection was linked to a 37% increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Additionally, the combination of hepatitis B infection with smoking, low levels of exercise, and diabetes led to an enhanced risk of chronic kidney disease.
Based on these results, the researchers recommend that people with chronic hepatitis B infection receive early chronic kidney disease screenings. Increasing physical activity, quitting smoking, and improving blood sugar control may also help.
Written by Cindi A. Hoover, Ph.D.
Reference: Si J, Yu C, Guo Y et al. Chronic hepatitis B virus infection and risk of chronic kidney disease: a population-based prospective cohort study of 0.5 million Chinese adults. 2018. BMC Medicine 16:93. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-018-1084-9
