Aim: In this study, the relationship of liver tissue trace element concentrations with hepatitis B disease and the effects of several environmental factors were analysed.
Method: The liver tissue concentrations of Al, Fe, Cd, Mn, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, Ag, and Co were evaluated in 92 patients with hepatitis B using the Inductively Coupled Plasma − Mass Spectrometry (ICP/MS) method in the analyses. The patients were divided into the following two groups: low-high Ishak histologic activity index (HAI) (0–6: Low Histologic Activity, 7–18: High Histologic Activity) and low-high fibrosis (FS) (Fibrosis 1,1,2 and Fibrosis 3,4,5,6). The metal levels were compared between the groups.
Results: The Cd concentration was found to be statistically higher in the group with low HAI scores (p = 0.019). The hepatic Cu concentration was found to be higher in women than in men (p = 0.046). The hepatic Fe concentration was found to be higher in the group with increased FS compared to the group with decreased FS (p = 0.033). Cd was found to be higher in patients who worked in positions involving exposure to heavy metals and in individuals with an ALT level above 40 IU/L (p = 0.008). Several correlations have been found between the hepatic tissue metal levels in our study. In a linear regression analysis, Fe and Zn were found to be correlated with the fibrosis scores (p = < 0.001 and p = 0.029), and Cu was correlated with HAI (p = 0.023). In the linear regression model, Ni (p = 0.018) and Cr (p = 0.011) were correlated with gender. There was a correlation between the hepatic Fe level and the location where hepatitis B patients were living (village/city) (p = 0.001), frequency of fish consumption (p = 0.045) and smoking (p = 0.018) according to the linear regression analysis. Using a logistic regression analysis, Cr (p = 0.029), Ni (p = 0.031) and Pb (p = 0.027) were found to be correlated with smoking habit, and Zn (p = 0.010), Ag (p = 0.026), Cd (p = 0.007) and Al (p = 0.005) were correlated with fish consumption.
Conclusion: The liver tissue trace element levels are correlated with disease activity and histologic damage in patients with HepB disease. Additionally, smoking, the environment in which the patient works and the amount of fish consumption affect the accumulation of trace elements in the liver.