Wang XD, Pan CW, Zhou GY, et al. - Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) commonly show liver steatosis, researchers herein investigated its effect on liver stiffness measurement (LSM), as assessed by transient elastography.

• This study was performed including 755 patients with CHB and normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels, who underwent vibration-controlled transient elastography and liver biopsy.

• Liver steatosis was identified in 286 (37.9%) patients.

• An independent association of presence of liver steatosis was observed with greater BMI, and higher serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Liver steatosis showed no significant association with fibrosis stage.

• Higher LSM was recorded in independent correlation with age, BMI, serum gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, positivity for HBeAg, as well as liver fibrosis stage, and inflammation activity grade, while there appeared no significant correlation of degree of liver steatosis with LSM.

• Overall findings suggest no significant effect of liver steatosis on transient elastography-measured LSM in CHB patients with normal serum alanine aminotransferase levels.