Character of initial symptomatology and further course of acute viral hepatitis

Guided by the assumption that the initial symptomatology of patients with acute viral hepatitis may allow to predict the further course of the disease, bodily complaints, mood and laboratory findings of 50 patients were assessed. For single parameters such as liver complaints, transaminases or anxious depression, no differences were found between patients with rapid, medium and slow recovery. As far as the pattern of symptoms were concerned, however, the three groups differed from each other. This finding implies the use of different illness coping strategies in the various groups.