Acute viral hepatitis with bridging necrosis. Collaborative study on chronic hepatitis

Bridging necrosis was recorded in 14% of 361 patients with acute viral hepatitis on examination of the liver biopsy. The clinical and biochemical features of acute viral hepatitis with bridging necrosis were compared with acute viral hepatitis with no bridging necrosis (NBN). It was noted that fever of more than 8 days' duration in the preicteric phase, the presence of mild ascites and pedal edema during the icteric phase, increasing or persistently high levels of serum bilirubin even 4 weeks after the onset of the icteric phase and positive hepatitis-B surface antigen were significantly more common in acute viral hepatitis with bridging necrosis. Hepatitis-B surface antigen clearance was slow in this group. The long-term complication of chronic hepatitis was more frequent in patients with acute viral hepatitis with bridging necrosis.