[Thirteen to fourteen years' follow-up of patients with hepatitis C].
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.
Rao
Hui-ying
HY
Institute of Hepatology, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100044, China.
Wei
Lai
L
Zhao
Jing-min
JM
Sun
De-gui
DG
Guo
Fang
F
Ma
Hui
H
Fang
Ji-lian
JL
Shao
Jie
J
Zhang
Lan-fang
LF
Sun
Yan
Y
Wang
Hao
H
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
D012367:RNA, Viral