Liver Cirrhosis in Relation to Hepatitis B Virus, Blood Transfusion, and Alcohol Consumption

A hospital based case-control study was carried out to assess the association of Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), past history of blood transfusion, and alcohol consumption with the development of liver cirrhosis between April 1986 and June 1989. During the study period, 215 liver cirrhosis outpatients (125 males and 90 females) were identified in Kurume University Hospital. Each case was matched with one control (1 : 1 matching) on age, sex, and residence who was the patient admitted to either of two affiliated general hospital in Kurume City. Odds ratios of 4.25 (95% CI : 1.18-15.27) for male and 10.18 (95% Cl : 1.35-76.64) for female after controlling for other factors indicated that HBsAg positive seemed to have a significant contribution to the development of liver cirrhosis for both sexes. Cases had a tendency to have a higher proportion of past history of blood transfusion than controls for both sexes. In particular, significant increase in odds ratio was noticed with increasing years elapsed from the first blood transfusion for female (OR=0.97, 7.80, 14.61 for 0-9 yrs, 10-19 yrs, and 20 yrs+, respectively). No significant association was detected for alcohol drinking. J Epidemiol, 1993; 3 : 121-127.