Association Between the Telomerase rs2736098_TT Genotype and a Lower Risk of Chronic Hepatitis B and Cirrhosis in Chinese Males

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is caused by infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and liver cirrhosis (LC) is its most common complication. The accumulated evidence indicates a genetic context of HBV infection phenotypes. Here we determine a potential association of CHB/LC with the genetic variant of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), a key player in aging including immune-senescence.The study included 227 Chinese CHB patients and 315...