The long-term evolution of chronic hepatitis B acquired in childhood.
The AIM of this study was to assess the long-term evolution of chronic hepatitis B acquired in childhood.


METHODS
The study was carried out in 2007 - 2008 on a group of 77 adult patients who were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B in childhood. The actual assessment included epidemiological, clinical, biological and virological data, ultrasound examination in all patients and liver histology in 3 patients.


RESULTS
From the 77 patients, 69 were HBeAg positive and the other 8 patients were anti-HBe positive when the diagnosis was made in their childhood. Thirty-seven patients from the HBeAg positive group and 2 patients from the anti-HBe group had been treated in childhood with IFN-alpha and the other 38 patients remained untreated (32 patients with HBeAg positive and 6 patients anti-HBe positive). Overall, 78.26% seroconverted to anti-HBe (87.50% untreated and 70.27% of patients treated with IFN). After a median follow-up period of 13 years, 36 patients from the HBeAg positive group (48.65% of treated patients and 56.25% of untreated ones) became inactive carriers. Seroconversion to anti-HBs, in the HBeAg positive group, occurred in 10.14% of cases (8.1% in treated patients) without statistical significance. Three patients from the whole group developed cirrhosis but none developed hepatocellular carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
The long-term outcome in our patients with CHB acquired in childhood did not differ between treated and untreated patients.
Manzat Saplacan
Roberta M
RM
1st Medical Clinic, str. Clinicilor Nr. 3-5, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. roberta786@yahoo.com
Mircea
Petru A
PA
Valean
Simona D
SD
Miu
Nicolae
N
Burac
Lucia
L
Valean
Cornel
C
Nanulescu
Mircea
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D007372:Interferons; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase