Hepatitis Bs antibody in alcoholic cirrhosis.
Sera from patients with chronic liver disease were tested for antibody against hepatitis B surface antigen by radioimmunoassay. The antibody was found in 25% of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and in 52% when alcoholic cirrhosis was associated with portal hypertension, these results being significantly higher than in a matched control population. Other forms of chronic liver disease did not differ from the control population. Hepatitis B virus infection might be a factor in determining which alcoholic patients go on to develop chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000276:immunology; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies