Incidence of Osteopenia in Female HBV Carrier and its Correlation with Liver Function Test

B형 간염 보균자에서 골감소증의 빈도 및 간기능검사와의 연관성

Background : Osteopenia has been recognized as one of potential complication of chronic liver diseases. Its correlation with hepatits B virus(HBV) carrier, however, has not been reported. Thus this study was aimed to clarify the relationship between the osteopenia and HBV carrier. Methods : Bone densities in 192 HBV carrier women and 200 healthy women were measured; the lumbar spine and three sites of the proximal femur(neck, Ward's triangle, greater trochanter) by dual-photon absorptiometry. And liver function tests(AST, ALT, Albumin, GGT, ALP) were also performed. Results : Bone densities at the four sites measured, were significantly correlated with one another(r=0.34 to 0.99, P<0.01). Compared with control group, HBV carriers had significant decreases in bone densities of femur(P<0.05), particularly marked at Ward's triangle. A negative correlations between bone densities and serum total alkaline phosphatase were also found(r=-0.44, P<0.01). Conclusions : Osteopenia was more prevalent in HBV carrier, particularly in the groups before-fifties. Serum total alkaline phosphatase was higher in those with reduced bone densities Thus measurement of bone densities seems to be necessary in female HBV carriers.