[Selected diagnostic and clinical aspects of chronic viral hepatitis type C]

The aim of this study was to evaluate selected diagnostic and clinical aspects of chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) in the group of 80 patients: 68 males aged 24-65 (mean 39.8 +/- 10,5) and 12 females aged 35-66 (mean 48.7 +/- 12.6). The epidemiological data allowed to divide the basic group into 3 subgroups: patients with transfusion-associated CH-C (subgroup I: 12 males, mean age 38 +/- 6.7 and 2 females aged 40 and 46), CH-C patients with parenteral hepatitis C virus exposure-other than blood transfusion (subgroup II: 25 males, mean age 40.6 +/- 8.2 and 5 females aged 43 +/- 15.1) and sporadic cases with unknown HCV exposure (subgroup III: 31 males, mean age 38.2 +/- 11.2 and 5 females, mean age 50.5 +/- 10.3). The duration of the disease (CH-C) was calculated from the incident of acute viral hepatitis or the first signs of liver damage caused by HCV to the confirmation of CH-C by liver biopsy. The following data were analyzed: a frequency of acute viral hepatitis with jaundice at the beginning of the disease, ALT flare-ups, mean highest activities of ALP and GGT, frequency of hypergammaglobulinaemia and sings of fatty liver in ultrasonographic finding (USG). In all patients but one anti-HCV antibodies (ELISA 2nd generation test by Abbott) were detected. In 64/80 subjects antibodies to HCV antigens: 5-1-1, C 100-3, C 33c and C 22 were determined by RIBA-2 test (Ortho). In 62/80 patients HCV-RNA in serum was determined by RT PCR. Liver biopsy was performed in 71/80 patients. Other co-existent liver diseases were excluded. The similarity between 3 subgroups was shown: similar percentage of males and females, similar patients mean age and the duration of the disease. It was shown that the acute beginning of the disease with jaundice has been observed twice as frequent in subgroups I and II compared with subgroup III. The same frequency of ALT flare-ups in all subgroups was observed (25-28.6%). No differences in mean highest ALP and GGT activities in 3 subgroups were observed. It was shown, however, that hypergammaglobulinaemia was detected more frequently in subgroup III (30.5%) compared with subgroup I (7.1%) and II (16.7%). The signs of fatty liver in ultrasonographic findings were also observed more frequently in subgroup III (30.5%) than in subgroup I (14.3%) or II (16.7%). In all patient but one, in which anti-HCV antibodies by ELISA test were detected, anti-C 33c and anti-C 22 antibodies by RIBA were present. HCV-RNA in serum was detected in 77.8% subjects from subgroup I. 73.9%-from subgroup II and 66.7%-from subgroup III. In all HCV-RNA positive patients anti-HCV antibodies were detected. The evidence of chronic active hepatitis confirmed by liver biopsy was shown in 63.6%, 67.8% and 71.8% of patients from subgroup I, II and III, respectively. In no case normal liver morphology was present. Authors concluded the distressing fact of the high incidence of chronic active hepatitis in patients unaware of HCV infection, without the incident of acute hepatitis at the beginning of the disease (over 1/3 of all described subjects). The differences of the clinical course of the disease between subgroups 1 + II and subgroup III suggest two different routes of HCV infection or the presence of two different HCV mutants in Polish population. Authors emphasise the necessity of HCV gene typing in CH-C patients, which might explain the surprisingly high incidence of chronic active hepatitis in the reported group. The use of the presented data for the general practitcioner making the diagnosis of crytogenetic liver disease is also accentuated.