title: Morbidity and mortality from chronic hepatitis B virus infection in family members of patients with malignant and nonmalignant hepatitis B virus-related chronic liver diseases.
abstract: Three-hundred forty-one HBsAg-positive family members of 152 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (47 asymptomatic carriers, 59 with chronic hepatitis, 17 with cirrhosis and 29 with hepatocellular carcinoma) were prospectively studied to determine the morbidity and mortality from chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the family members of patients with malignant and nonmalignant hepatitis B virus-related chronic liver diseases. Most of the family members had no history of acute hepatitis, were asymptomatic and were unaware of their carrier status. However, 5.3% had stigmata of chronic liver disease, 6% had serum ALT levels that exceeded two times the upper limit of normal and 78% of those who had biopsies had chronic hepatitis with or without cirrhosis. During a follow-up period of 12 to 90 mo (median = 39 mo), 3% had symptoms of chronic liver disease; 24% had transient, recurrent or persistent elevation in serum ALT levels, 1.4% had cirrhosis and 1% had hepatocellular carcinoma. Neither hepatocellular carcinoma in the index patient nor a previous history of hepatocellular carcinoma in the family was associated with an increase in the morbidity and mortality from chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the HBsAg-positive family members.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lok
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000635:transmission*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D000410:Alanine Transaminase