title: [Association of liver histopathology and clinical features among patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the histopathological features of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with mildly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT).
  
  
  METHODS
  105 patients were divided into three groups according to serum ALT levels: Group A [ALT level < or = 0.5 x upper limits of normal (ULN)], Group B (0.5 x ULN < ALT level < or = 1 x ULN) and Group C(1 x ULN < ALT level < 2 x ULN). Grade of liver inflammation and stage of liver fibrosis in the three groups were compared. The changes in clinical parameters were then observed in patients who had liver histopathological changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 40.95% of the patients, hepatitis degree went to G2 or even worse; and among 30.43% of the patients whose ALT level were normal, the hepatitis degree reached G2 or even worse. In 26.67% of the patients, degree of fibrosis went to S2 or even worse, and for the 17.39% patients whose ALT level were normal, degree of fibrosis went to S2 or even worse. The aggravation of liver inflammation and fibrosis was correlated with ALT and hyaluronic acid increasing (all P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frequent monitoring of serum ALT and hyaluronic acid may help to understand histopathological changes in the liver. Liver biopsy applied to CHB should be regarded as a main basis if antiviral therapy should be conducted.
authors: The Infectious Disease Hospital of Ningbo City, Ningbo 315010, Zhejiang, China.
authors: Chuan-Tong
authors: CT
authors: Lu
authors: Guo-Sheng
authors: GS
authors: Gao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D000410:Alanine Transaminase