Predictors of hepatic steatosis in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients and their diagnostic values in hepatic fibrosis

To investigate predictors of hepatic steatosis in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and their diagnostic values in hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. A total of 106 HBeAg-negative CHB patients with clinically and pathologically proven steatosis and 98 patients without steatosis were recruited into this study. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS), triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), albumin (Alb), globulin (Glb), HBV DNA, body mass index (BMI), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and pathological changes of the liver in inflammation, fibrosis and fatty deposition were examined in all patients. The levels of BMI, HOMA-IR, FBG, insulin, TG, and CHOL were significantly higher in patients with steatosis than those without steatosis (all P