title: Long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic hepatitis C which exhibits a varied natural course, is becoming a major problem worldwide.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we investigated 161 patients with chronic hepatitis C by repeated liver biopsies. From initial biopsies, we diagnosed 56 patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, 74 with chronic active hepatitis 2A, and 31 with chronic active hepatitis 2B.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the follow-up period, a progression from chronic hepatitis to liver cirrhosis was recognized among all stages, however the rate of progression to liver cirrhosis was less in chronic persistent hepatitis than in chronic active hepatitis 2A and chronic active hepatitis 2B. Hepatocellular carcinoma was detected in chronic active hepatitis 2A and chronic active hepatitis 2B at the initial stage, however, no tumors developed in chronic persistent hepatitis at the initial stage. Most hepatocellular carcinomas were concomitant with liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest a close follow-up of patients with chronic hepatitis C, especially those patients with chronic active hepatitis 2A or 2B and exhibiting successive active inflammation of liver.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiraki
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Takenari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deguchi
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohmori
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: Koujiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Yukihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tameda
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000821:virology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000821:virology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012307:Risk Factors