Table 2.
Summary of baseline demographic and clinical data from HEPSANET cohorts
| Characteristics n (%) or median (IQR) | Valid observations (n) | West Africa (n = 2,132) | East Africa (n = 1,118) | Southern Africa (n = 923) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | ||||
| Age (median) | 4,173 | 34.0 (29.0, 42.0) | 32.0 (26.0, 39.0) | 35.0 (28.0, 43.0) |
| Age group | 4,173 | |||
| 18–29 | 593 (27.8%) | 442 (39.5%) | 271 (29.4%) | |
| 30–49 | 1,277 (59.9%) | 582 (52.1%) | 507 (54.9%) | |
| 50+ | 262 (12.3%) | 94 (8.4%) | 145 (15.7%) | |
| Sex | 4,172 | |||
| Female | 800 (37.5%) | 455 (40.7%) | 366 (39.7%) | |
| Male | 1,332 (62.5%) | 663 (59.3%) | 556 (60.3%) | |
| Reason for testing | 3,740 | |||
| Focused asymptomatic testing | 1,153 (60.9%) | 750 (67.1%) | 306 (41.9%) | |
| Community-based screening | 603 (31.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 230 (31.5%) | |
| Suspicion of liver disease | 78 (4.1%) | 368 (32.9%) | 180 (24.7%) | |
| Family member with liver disease | 26 (1.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | 13 (1.8%) | |
| Other | 32 (1.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.1%) | |
| Current HBV treatment | 4,173 | |||
| Yes | 12 (0.6%) | 29 (2.6%) | 128 (13.9%) | |
| No | 1,891 (88.7%) | 1,089 (97.4%) | 792 (85.8%) | |
| Not documented | 229 (10.7%) | 0 (0.0%) | 3 (0.3%) | |
| Diagnostic test results | ||||
| TE score (median, kPa) | 3,892 | 5.4 (4.5, 6.8) | 5.8 (4.6, 7.7) | 6.1 (4.8, 8.5) |
| TE score group | 3,892 | |||
| <8 kPa | 1,743 (83.8%) | 857 (76.7%) | 491 (70.9%) | |
| 8.5–9.5 kPa | 128 (6.2%) | 54 (4.8%) | 63 (9.1%) | |
| ≥9.5 kPa | 210 (10.1%) | 207 (18.5%) | 139 (20.1%) | |
| ALT (IU/ml) | 4,103 | 24.0 (18.0, 33.0) | 25.0 (19.0, 36.0) | 25.0 (17.0, 38.2) |
| AST (IU/ml) | 4,058 | 28.0 (23.0, 35.0) | 25.5 (20.0, 34.0) | 29.0 (22.0, 43.5) |
| Platelet count | 3,834 | 216.0 (171.0, 265.2) | 277.0 (225.0, 329.0) | 219.0 (170.8, 274.0) |
| HBeAg status | 3,539 | |||
| Positive | 94 (5.2%) | 114 (11.3%) | 130 (17.8%) | |
| Negative | 1,706 (94.8%) | 895 (88.7%) | 600 (82.2%) | |
| HBV DNA level | 3,469 | 231.0 (50.0, 2,518.0) | 1,239.0 (245.0, 12,571.0) | 743.0 (59.0, 12,991.1) |
| Comorbid conditions | ||||
| Hazardous alcohol use | 3,031 | |||
| Yes | 128 (11.2%) | 40 (3.6%) | 106 (13.7%) | |
| No | 1,010 (88.8%) | 1,078 (96.4%) | 669 (86.3%) | |
| BMI (median) | 3,443 | 22.3 (20.1, 25.5) | 22.4 (19.6, 25.3) | 22.5 (20.4, 26.1) |
| BMI group | 3,443 | |||
| Underweight (<18) | 119 (6.7%) | 103 (9.9%) | 44 (7.1%) | |
| Normal weight (18–24) | 1,152 (64.7%) | 648 (62.4%) | 388 (62.3%) | |
| Overweight (25–29) | 394 (22.1%) | 230 (22.1%) | 136 (21.8%) | |
| Obese (≥30) | 116 (6.5%) | 58 (5.6%) | 55 (8.8%) | |
Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; HBeAg, hepatitis B e-antigen; HBV, hepatitis B virus; HEPSANET, Hepatitis B in Africa Collaborative Network; IQR, interquartile range; IU/ml, international units per millilitre; kPA, kilopascals; TE, transient elastography.