title: Hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection among chronic alcoholic patients with liver disease in Taiwan.
abstract: The prevalence of the anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among 123 alcoholic patients with liver disease from our hospital and 44 alcoholic subjects from the local community was evaluated. By radio-immunoassay HBsAg was detected in 30.1% of alcoholic patients with liver disease, compared with 11.4% of alcoholic subjects from the local community (p < 0.05). The prevalence of HBsAg was 40.7% (11/27) in patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 31.5% (17/54) in patients with cirrhosis only, and 29.4% (5/17) in patients with other liver diseases. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, anti-HCV antibody was detected in 30.9% of alcoholic patients with liver disease, compared with 2.3% of alcoholic subjects from the local community (p < 0.0005). The prevalence of anti-HCV antibody was 44.4% in alcoholic patients with cirrhosis and HCC, 29.6% in alcoholic patients with cirrhosis only, and 17.6% in alcoholic patients with other liver diseases. As the degree of liver damage advanced, the prevalence of either HBsAg or anti-HCV antibody, or both, being detected in these alcoholic patients increased significantly (p < 0.05). The serum ALT level was higher among alcoholic patients who had either HBsAg or anti-HCV antibody than those having neither (151 +/- 204 vs 62 +/- 47 IU/L; p < 0.005). All three alcoholic patients with chronic hepatitis had positive HBsAg or anti-HCV antibody. Histologic findings, except cells within sinusoids, were comparable between the alcoholic patients with or without superimposed hepatitis viruses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: X Z
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000276:immunology; D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications*; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D006508:Hepatitis Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens