title: [Long-term development of chronic hepatitis caused by virus B in childhood].
abstract: Ten children with chronic hepatitis B have been followed for at least 3 years. All patients received 2 liver biopsies, the first after 1 year of continuous liver disfunction and HBsAg positivity, and the second 2 years after, that showed a mild improvement of the histologic lesions in 4 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH) and in 1 case of chronic lobular hepatitis (CLH). Three children out of 5 with chronic active hepatitis (CAN) changed to CPH and the other 2 remained unchanged without any evidence of cirrhosis. No patient received any drug for the treatment of hepatitis.
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male
vernacular_title: L'evoluzione a distanza dell'epatite cronica da virus B in età pediatrica.