title: [An analysis of the pathohistology of liver tissues, clinical features and prognostic factors of chronic hepatitis B virus carriers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the correlations between clinical features and liver pathohistological changes of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and to discuss the factors which may influence the prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety HBV carriers who had liver biopsies were enrolled in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) The mean follow-up period of the patients was 118 weeks. (2) Fifty-four patients (60.0%) had G1 hepatitis and 21 (23.3%) had G2 hepatitis. The fibrosis stages were graded as S1(42) and S2(21). (3) There were significant age differences among S0, S1 and S2. (4) There were significant differences in aminotransferase levels between patients who had a normal liver histology and those who had mild hepatitis. (5) The grades of liver inflammation were not correlated with the titers of HBeAg and HBV DNA in sera. The stages of liver fibrosis were not correlated with the titers of HBVDNA in sera. Most of the HBeAg negative patients progressed to S2. (6) There were significant differences in spleen dimensions measured by ultrasonography between S0, S1 and S2 patients. (7) During the follow-up period serum aminotransferase (ALT) levels remained normal in 60 patients (group A); 22 patients had transient elevations (group B), and 8 patients had persistent increases (group C). There were significant differences of the ratios of S0 and S2 cases among patients in groups A, B and C. (8) Age and fibrosis stages were predictive factors of liver cirrhosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most chronic HBV carriers had mild inflammatory histological changes in their livers and also had different degrees of liver fibrosis. This follow-up study shows that some of those carriers should have had antiviral therapy.
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China. wuchihong1@sohu.com
authors: Chi-hong
authors: CH
authors: Wu
authors: Chong-wen
authors: CW
authors: Si
authors: Geng-shan
authors: GS
authors: Tian
authors: Yan-yan
authors: YY
authors: Yu
authors: Xiao-yuan
authors: XY
authors: Xu
authors: Tai-ling
authors: TL
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis