Correlation of steatosis with fibrosis and necro-inflammation in chronic hepatitis C infection in the absence of confounding factors.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the frequency and degree of hepatic steatosis in patients of chronic hepatitis C infection and determine its correlation with stages of fibrosis and necro-inflammatory grades.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
The study was carried out in the Department of Pathology (Histopathology), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from March 2006 to March 2007.


METHODS
Patients who had undergone a liver biopsy for evaluation of hepatitis C virus infection were included in the study. Demographic characteristics and laboratory data were collected at the time of biopsy. First hundred biopsy specimens meeting the inclusion criteria were assessed for steatosis, necro-inflammation and fibrosis.


RESULTS
Steatosis was present in 46 patients and graded as mild (41.3%), moderate (54.3%) and severe (4.3%). An overall significant correlation was found between grades of steatosis with stage of fibrosis (p < 0.0001) but no correlation was found with necro-inflammatory grades. Only focal necrosis revealed weak correlation with grades of steatosis (p < 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a possible role of the hepatitis C virus itself in the pathogenesis of steatosis and indicate its close relationship with fibrosis and focal degeneration in chronic hepatitis C. Necro-inflammation seen in liver biopsy is host immune reaction to hepatitis C virus and is not related to steatosis.
Zubair
Alia
A
Department of Histopathology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi.
Mubarik
Azhar
A
Jamal
Shahid
S
Arif
Adeel
A
Khan
Dilshad Ahmad
DA
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis