title: [Thirteen to fourteen years' follow-up of patients with hepatitis C].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical outcomes and hepatic histology of patients with hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine patients with hepatitis, 4 males and 5 females, aged 44 +/- 7, who were infected during transfusion or blood donation underwent follow-up for 13 approximately 14 years: liver histological examination by biopsy, ultrasonography, biochemical examination of alanine transaminase (ALT), apartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin (TBIL), serum anti-HCV by ELISA, and HCV RNA quantification by PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALT were higher than the normal value at every time point and HCV RNA remained positive (3.57 x 10(8) approximately 7.21 x 10(9) copies/L) in all patients. Ultrasonography showed mild and moderate hepatitis (3 and 6 cases respectively). The modified histological activity indices (HAI) were 5.0 approximately 8.5 and the fibrosis scores were 1 approximately 4. The ALT value was higher in the moderate cases than in the mild cases, and higher in those with higher HAI. The viral load was higher in the patients infected by the virus of the genotype 1b than in the patients infected by the virus of the genotype 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical outcomes and hepatic histology of patients with hepatitis C seem not very severe.
authors: Institute of Hepatology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China.
authors: Hui-ying
authors: HY
authors: Rao
authors: Lai
authors: L
authors: Wei
authors: Jing-min
authors: JM
authors: Zhao
authors: De-gui
authors: DG
authors: Sun
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Guo
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Ma
authors: Ji-lian
authors: JL
authors: Fang
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Shao
authors: Lan-fang
authors: LF
authors: Zhang
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Sun
authors: Hao
authors: H
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral