title: Long-term follow-up of posttransfusion and sporadic chronic hepatitis non-A, non-B and frequency of circulating antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV).
abstract: The natural course of chronic hepatitis non-A, non-B (HNANB) was documented for 3-20 yr (mean 8 yr) in 86 patients, who attended our special ambulance between 1981 and 1988. Sixty five of the 86 patients (75%) were positive for circulating antibodies against hepatitis C virus (HCV) (anti-HCV). Twenty four patients had chronic posttransfusion (PT)-HNANB (18 anti-HCV-positive; 75%), and 62 patients had sporadic (S)-HNANB (47 anti-HCV-positive; 75%). Twenty nine per cent of patients with chronic PT-HNANB had sustained normalization of aminotransferases after a period up to 5 yr, 55% demonstrated chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) and 16% progressed to chronic active hepatitis (CAH) with transition to cirrhosis. In the group with chronic S-HNANB, 2% of patients showed remission, 43% had stable CPH and 55% progressed to CAH or cirrhosis. However, development of cirrhotic complications required many years. Transition from CAH to CPH or remission was not observed. The results indicate that 75% of both patients groups with chronic PT- and S-HNANB are infected with the same agent, of which antibodies are detected by the new anti-HCV assay. There was no statistical association between the severity of the disease and the presence of anti-HCV. The different proportions of progressive courses in chronic PT- and S-HNANB might be explained by the patient recruitment.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Freie Universität Berlin, F.R.G.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hopf
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Küther
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stemerowicz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lobeck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lüdtke-Handjery
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roggendorf
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deinhardt
mesh_terms: D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006518:Hepatitis Viruses / Q000276:immunology*; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D013997:Time Factors; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D000637:Transaminases