Impact of hepatitis e virus seropositivity on chronic liver disease in cancer patients with hepatitis C virus infection
Kyvernitakis, A.; Taremi, M.; Blechacz, B.; Hwang, J.; Jiang, Y.; Mahale, P.; Torres, H.A.
Hepatology Research the Official Journal of the Japan Society of Hepatology 45(11): 1146-1151
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 1386-6346
PMID: 25488194
DOI: 10.1111/hepr.12460
Accession: 058060668
Immunocompromised patients can develop chronic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection and progress to cirrhosis. Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected cancer patients who have received chemotherapeutic agents experience accelerated liver fibrosis progression. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence and impact of HEV seropositivity on liver-related outcomes in HCV-infected cancer patients. As part of a prospective study of HCV-infected cancer patients conducted at our center, we investigate the characteristics associated with progression of their liver disease. Of the 115 patients tested, 13 (11%) were positive for HEV immunoglobulin G. HEV seropositivity was associated with advanced age (P = 0.004), race (P = 0.02), place of birth outside the USA (P = 0.021), cirrhosis (P = 0.027), history of reused needles/syringes during massive vaccination campaigns (P = 0.015) and coronary artery disease (P = 0.039). Overall, 47 (41%) of the patients had cirrhosis. Factors independently associated with cirrhosis were male sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.8; P = 0.028) and HEV seropositivity (OR, 4.1; P = 0.032). HEV seropositivity is present in 11% of HCV-infected cancer patients and seems to be associated with cirrhosis. Our results suggest that HEV screening should be implemented in HCV-infected patients with cancer.