title: Chronic hepatitis in Nigerian patients: a study of 70 biopsy-proven cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma are known sequelae of chronic hepatitis. Early diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis could delay or even abort progression to terminal liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study of 70 consecutive patients with features of early liver disease or discovered with HBsAg (or anti-HCV) during pre-employment and/ or pre-donation screening at Ile-Ife, Nigeria. All the patients had liver biopsy and the histology evaluated with the Knodell Histological Activity Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients had symptomatic disease (M: F ratio, 1.5:1) while 17 were asymptomatic (M: F ratio, 3:1). The mean ages were 49.04 (SD+/-16.78) and 29.82 (SD+/-6.13) for the symptomatic and the asymptomatic patients respectively (P< 0.005). Major symptoms were right upper abdominal pain (68%), weight loss (51%) and fatigue (41.5%). Alcohol consumption was significantly related to symptomatic chronic hepatitis (P< 0.01). Over 50 % of patients with asymptomatic chronic hepatitis had abnormal liver scan and liver function tests. All the asymptomatic cases and 77.4 % of the symptomatic group had HBsAg while only 1 patient (symptomatic) was anti-HCV positive. On liver histology, all the patients with asymptomatic chronic hepatitis had a Knodell score of< or = 8 and none had fibrosis. Over half of the symptomatic patients had a Knodell score of > or = 9 (56.6%) and stage 2 or 3 fibrosis (51 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asymptomatic chronic hepatitis patients tend to be younger and of the male sex. Symptomatic chronic hepatitis may signal the onset of significant fibrosis and alcohol abuse may accelerate this process. Serum ALT and liver scan are useful initial screening tests for asymptomatic patients with hepatitis B or C viral markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-lfe, Nigeria. dennisandububa@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ndububa
authors.forename: O S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Ojo
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Adetiloye
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Durosinmi
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Olasode
authors.forename: O C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Famurewa
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Aladegbaiye
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adekanle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001706:Biopsy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000410:Alanine Transaminase