[Pathogenesis and prognosis of acute hepatitis in diabetics]

After hospitalisation in a diabetes ward from 1973 to March 1978 altogether 21 diabetics fell ill with an acute virus hepatitis B. Comprehensive after-examinations on 16 patients were carried out on an average 25 months after the clinical beginning of the hepatitis B. In half of the patients an HBsAg persistence was present. Chronic hepatides were established in a quarter of the cases. The findings of the after-examination in 4 sisters who simultaneously fell ill with hepatitis B remained unsonspicuous. The possible causes of the more unfavourable courses in the diabetics are discussed, also the increasing negative influence by the therapy with corticosteroids in prolonged course and with azathioprin in chronic course partly performed up to 1976.