Survey of non-B, non-C liver cirrhosis in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this survey was to reveal clinical features for each etiology of non-B, non-C liver cirrhosis (NBNC LC) in Japan.


METHODS
In a nationwide survey of NBNC LC in Japan at the 15th General Meeting of the Japan Society of Hepatology, 6999 NBNC LC patients were registered at 48 medical institutions. Epidemiological and clinical factors were investigated.


RESULTS
The percentage of NBNC LC among LC patients was 26%. NBNC LC patients were categorized into 11 types according to etiological agents: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), 14.5%; alcoholic liver disease (ALD), 55.1%; fatty liver disease (FLD), except NASH, ALD, and other known etiology, 2.5%; primary biliary cirrhosis, 8.0%; other biliary cirrhosis, 0.8%; autoimmune hepatitis, 6.8%; metabolic disease, 0.6%; congestive disease, 0.8%; parasitic disease, 0.2%; other known etiology, 0.2%; and unknown etiology, 10.5%. Compared with previous surveys, the percentage of ALD remained unchanged, whereas that of NASH increased. The mean age and percentage of females were significantly higher in NASH patients than in ALD and FLD patients. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in NASH and FLD patients than in ALD ones. Prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in NBNC LC patients was 35.9%. Among NASH, ALD and FLD patients, 50.9%, 34.3% and 54.5% had HCC, respectively. Positivity of hepatitis B core antibody was significantly higher in HCC patients than in those without HCC (41.1% vs 24.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
This survey determined the etiology of NBNC LC in Japan. These results should contribute new ideas toward understanding NBNC LC and NBNC HCC.
Division of Gastroenterology and Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Japan.
Yasuaki
Y
Suzuki
Takaaki
T
Ohtake
Shuhei
S
Nishiguchi
Etsuko
E
Hashimoto
Yutaka
Y
Aoyagi
Morikazu
M
Onji
Yutaka
Y
Kohgo
alcoholic liver disease; hepatocellular carcinoma; non-B; non-C liver cirrhosis; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis