Role of hepatitis B virus infection in alcoholic patients

Summary The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of HBV markers in patients with alcoholic liver disease and to compare the results with those of patients with non-alcoholic liver disease and control subjects. We tried to determine whether the association between alcohol intake and HBV infection increases the risk of developing severe liver disease. The results showed an increased incidence of HBsAg in alcoholic patients when compared with controls as well as an increased incidence of severe chronic liver disease in HBV-positive groups when compared with HBV-negative groups. We conclude that HBV infection is an important additional risk factor for the development of severe liver disease in alcoholic patients.