title: [The role of HBV and HCV viruses in the pathogenesis of hepatic lesions in alcoholics].
abstract: Due to the high prevalence in the population of both viral hepatitis and alcoholism it is not uncommon to find patients with chronic hepatitis in whom both these stigmata are simultaneously present. In such cases, the risk of evolution to cirrhosis is thought to be greater. In this study was evaluated 104 alcoholic patients (50 of whom had hepatic biopsy), with or without antibodies (ab) to hepatitis C virus (HCV). In addition, we retrospectively examined 183 hepatic biopsies of alcoholic patients with or without hepatitis B virus (HBV markers). At the end of the study the following conclusions were drawn: (i) Contact with HBV is unlikely to effect either the histologic picture or the course of alcoholic liver disease. (ii) The incidence of ab to HCV is higher in more advanced stages of the disease. (iii) As regards biopsies of alcoholic patients, sometimes it was impossible to establish a relationship between piece-meal necrosis or portitis and viral markers of hepatitis; therefore, other factors may be synergic with alcohol (ie nutritional, immunologic, genetic factors, concomitant diseases, etc.). For each of these factors, the relative risk of cirrhotic evolution could be assessed by a multicenter survey with case-control design.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Medicina Generale II, Regione Lombardia, USSL 67 Ospedale 4anta Corona - Garbagnate Milanese, Milano.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Baldini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santangelo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Veronesi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meregalli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lodato
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moraleś
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
vernacular_title: Il ruolo dei virus HBV e HCV nella patogenesi del danno epatico negli alcolisti.