title: Spectrum of chronic liver disease in a tertiary care hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the nature and etiology of the chronic liver disease occurring in the northern part of Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of the liver biopsies performed at Shifa International Hospital from 1994-2000 were reviewed. The reason for the biopsy and results were noted and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 518 liver biopsies were performed during this period. Most patients were between the ages of 31-50 years (range 10-70 years). Males and females were equal. Three hundred fifty four (68.3%) patients had chronic hepatitis. Of these 86% had hepatitis C, 10.7% hepatitis B and 3.1% both B and C. Of 41 (7.9%) hepatocellular carcinomas, 29.3% were due to hepatitis C and 14% due to hepatitis B virus infection. Etiology was not known in 53% cases of HCC. Other categories included chronic hepatitis with early cirrhosis (4.8%), cirrhosis (3.1%), adenocarcinoma (4.6%) and other miscellaneous conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic hepatitis C makes the largest percentage in this series of cases followed by hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhosis and metastatic adenocarcinoma as causes of chronic liver disease in this part of Pakistan.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Shifa International Hospital, Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khokhar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology