Prevalence and predictors of impaired fasting glucose among Nigerian patients with hepatitis B virus infection

AimPrevious studies on the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) are conflicting. We aimed to elucidate the relationship by investigating the prevalence and predictors of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in HBV-infected patients.MethodsA total of 204 consecutive patients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositivity for ≥6 months were recruited in a cross-sectional study. Patients with DM were excluded. Information regarding age, gender, ethnicity, residence, family history of DM, alcohol use, and cigarette smoking were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, liver enzymes and hepatitis Be antigen (HBeAg) were tested.ResultsThe participants had a mean age of 33.6 ± 8.4 years and included 123 (60.3%) females, 40 (19.6%) with HBeAg seropositivity, and 29 (14.2%) with family history of DM. The prevalence of IFG was 52 (25.5%). On multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of IFG were family history of DM (OR = 8.23, 95% CI = 2.78–24.31), male gender (OR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.17–6.64), HBeAg seropositivity (OR = 4.97, 95% CI = 1.87–13.18) and elevated GGT (OR = 7.27, 95% C.I = 2.88–18.35).ConclusionThe prevalence of IFG among HBV-infected patients is high. Targeted screening and follow-up of HBV-infected patients for abnormalities of glucose metabolism is recommended.