Associations of Cardiovascular Diseases with Hepatitis B and D , and Metabolic Syndrome in Mashhad, Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Viral infections may play a significant role in the development of heart failure, especially in people with related cardiac conditions such as myocarditis. Hepatitis B and D viruses (HBV-HDV) are potentially fatal liver infections. This study examined the influence of metabolic syndrome and its associated disorders. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study investigated hepatitis D antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in 239 people aged 35 to 65 years in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran in 2018-2019. There were two study groups: those with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and healthy individuals. Serum samples of all subjects in both groups were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Findings: HDV infection was detected in none of the study groups. Only one patient (0.8%) in the case group tested positive for HBsAg. The average LDL (low-density lipoprotein) (p= .8) and cholesterol (p= .3) levels in terms of lipid profiles were similar in both groups. Although the mean high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level in the patient group was lower, the mean triglyceride level in this group was higher than in the control group. Fasting blood sugar (FBS) (p= .009) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly higher in CVD patients, while 59.3% of them exhibited metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: This study results demonstrate no connection between HBV/HDV infection and cardiovascular diseases. The findings confirm that metabolic syndrome and hyperglycemia are underlying factors in cardiovascular diseases. Changes in HDL and triglyceride levels could impact cardiovascular diseases more than other lipids.