Fatty Liver Disease, HIV, and Hepatitis B

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by excess fat in the liver, which can lead to inflammation, fibrosis, and eventually cirrhosis. Importantly, one in three people living with HIV and hepatitis B also have fatty liver disease. People with fatty liver disease commonly have high BMI, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure. Weight loss remains the primary treatment for fatty liver disease, as there are currently no drug treatments.

The Hepatitis B Research Network investigated the prevalence of fatty liver disease and fibrosis in people living with HIV and hepatitis B through liver biopsies. The data revealed that 20% of participants had liver fat accumulation and 9.7% had a combination of liver fat accumulation, inflammation, and ballooning of liver cells with fat. 23% had advanced liver fibrosis and 13% had significant fibrosis. The findings also show that non-Hispanic White people had eight times the likelihood of developing fatty liver disease than other races. High ALT, AST, and blood pressure increased the likelihood of having fatty liver disease. Overall, the results of this research encourage people living with hepatitis B and HIV to monitor their ALT enzyme levels to lower the risk of developing fatty liver disease. Future studies will be conducted to determine whether HIV or hepatitis B alone increases the risk of fatty liver disease in co-infected people.

Alcorn, Keith. “Fatty Liver Disease Common in People Living with HIV and Hepatitis B.” World Hepatitis Alliance, 30 Sept. 2020.