title: Role of chronic hepatitis in development of thalassaemic liver disease.
abstract: Liver function and the presence of HBsAg and anti-HBsAg were studied in 90 hypertransfused thalassaemic children. Increased serum transaminases were found in 62 patients, and persisted from more than 6 months in 45 cases. Liver biopsy in this latter group led to a diagnosis of 14 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis, 9 cases of aggressive hepatitis, and 3 cases of hepatic fibrosis. In Italy thalassaemic children undergoing hypertransfusion therapy frequently encounter SH virus infection, with a consequent hepatitis that is generally anicteric and unrecognized unless systematically sought. In a liver already stressed by the concomitant iron overload, hepatitis infection might thus play a key role in the evolution of cirrhosis which frequently affects thalassaemics.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009336:Necrosis; D012806:Siderosis; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006511:Hepatitis B Antigens; D008263:Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase