title: Histopathology of hepatitis C in children, a systematic review: implications for treatment.
abstract: Chronic hepatitis C in children is usually considered a clinically mild and slowly progressive disease. Few pediatric studies focused on histopathology of children with hepatitis C are available. Those available show, overall, a wide spectrum of findings ranging from normal liver to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The present systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the studies that explored histopathology in children with hepatitis C. Factors affecting the presence and the degree of necroinflammation, fibrosis and steatosis and the risk of progression to advanced liver disease were extensively evaluated. Insights on the possible role of histopathology findings in the decision-making process of whether or not to treat children with hepatitis C are provided.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Paediatric and Liver Unit Meyer Children's University Hospital of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 34, I-50139 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Indolfi
authors.affiliation: b 2 Department of Medicine-DIMED, Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology Unit, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guido
authors.affiliation: c 3 Immunology Unit and Laboratory at Meyer Children's University Hospital of Florence and Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 34, I-50139 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azzari
authors.affiliation: a 1 Paediatric and Liver Unit Meyer Children's University Hospital of Florence, Viale Pieraccini 34, I-50139 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Resti
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003657:Decision Making; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents
keywords: advanced liver disease; children; cirrhosis; co-infection; hepatitis C virus; histopathology; liver biopsy; treatment