Long-term follow-up of chronic hepatitis C in Japan.
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.
Okano
Hiroshi
H
First Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
Shiraki
Katsuya
K
Inoue
Hidekazu
H
Ito
Takeshi
T
Yamanaka
Takenari
T
Deguchi
Masatoshi
M
Sakai
Takahisa
T
Ohmori
Shigeru
S
Fujikawa
Katsuhiko
K
Takase
Koujiro
K
Tameda
Yukihiko
Y
Nakano
Takeshi
T
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