@article {CoffinE610, author = {Carla S. Coffin and Alnoor Ramji and Curtis L. Cooper and David Miles and Karen E. Doucette and Philip Wong and Edward Tam and David K. Wong and Alexander Wong and Sylvester Ukabam and Robert J. Bailey and Keith Tsoi and Brian Conway and Lisa Barrett and Tomasz I. Michalak and Stephen E. Congly and Gerald Minuk and Kelly Kaita and Erin Kelly and Hin Hin Ko and Harry L.A. Janssen and Julia Uhanova and Brendan C. Lethebe and Sarah Haylock-Jacobs and Mang M. Ma and Carla Osiowy and Scott K. Fung}, editor = {,}, title = {Epidemiologic and clinical features of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in 8 Canadian provinces: a descriptive study by the Canadian HBV Network}, volume = {7}, number = {4}, pages = {E610--E617}, year = {2019}, doi = {10.9778/cmajo.20190103}, publisher = {Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal}, abstract = {Background: Published Canadian epidemiologic data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection include single-centre studies or are focused on Indigenous populations. We performed a study to characterize the demographic and clinical features, liver disease status and treatment of people with chronic hepatitis B in Canada.Methods: In this descriptive, opportunistic, cross-sectional study, available data for people known to be monoinfected with HBV were collected by the Canadian HBV Network from existing clinical databases (2012-2019), with support from the National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada. Data were collected in all provinces with the exception of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. We analyzed the data using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods, with a significance level of p \< 0.05.Results: In the 9380 unique patient records reviewed, the median age was 48 years, and 5193 patients (55.4\%) were male. Ethnicity information was available for 7858 patients, of whom 5803 (73.8\%) were Asian, 916 (11.6\%) were black and 914 (11.6\%) were white. Most of those tested (5556/6796 [81.8\%]) were negative for HBV e-antigen, and most of those with fibrosis data (3481/4260 [81.7\%]) had minimal liver fibrosis, with more advanced fibrosis noted in older people (\> 40 yr). Of the 980 patients with genotype data, 521 (53.2\%) had genotype B or C infection. Most of the 9241 patients with known confirmed treatment status received tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (1655 [17.9\%]), lamivudine (1434 [15.5\%]) or entecavir (548 [5.9\%]).Interpretation: Based on available data, Canadian patients with chronic hepatitis B are predominantly Asian and negative for HBV e-antigen, and have genotype B or C infection. Interprovincial variations were noted in antiviral treatment regimen. This multicentre nationwide study provides data regarding patients with chronic hepatitis B and may inform future studies on the epidemiologic features of HBV infection in Canada.}, URL = {https://www.cmajopen.ca/content/7/4/E610}, eprint = {https://www.cmajopen.ca/content/7/4/E610.full.pdf}, journal = {Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal} }