BACKGROUND: The etiology and the natural history of acute non A-E hepatitis is still undefined. METHODS: We examined the prevalence of HGV viraemia and the long-term outcome in 54 patients with non A-E acute hepatitis. RESULTS: HGV-RNA was found in 19 out of 54 (35%) patients. There was no difference between HGV-RNA positives and negatives in terms of age sex, parenteral risk factors and alanine amino-transferase peak level. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels were higher in the HGV-RNA positive group. During a 3-year follow up, 10 out of 54 (18.5%) patients progressed to chronic hepatitis and 4 out of 10 (40%) had an histologically advanced disease. None of the 19 subjects infected with HGV showed a chronic evolution of liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the limited role of HGV as the etiological agent of non A-E acute hepatitis. The great majority of non A-E hepatitis cases are yet of undetermined origin and unfortunately, are characterized by a high rate of progression to chronic active hepatitis.
BACKGROUND: The etiology and the natural history of acute non A-E hepatitis is still undefined. METHODS: We examined the prevalence of HGV viraemia and the long-term outcome in 54 patients with non A-E acute hepatitis. RESULTS: HGV-RNA was found in 19 out of 54 (35%) patients. There was no difference between HGV-RNA positives and negatives in terms of age sex, parenteral risk factors and alanine amino-transferase peak level. Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase levels were higher in the HGV-RNA positive group. During a 3-year follow up, 10 out of 54 (18.5%) patients progressed to chronic hepatitis and 4 out of 10 (40%) had an histologically advanced disease. None of the 19 subjects infected with HGV showed a chronic evolution of liver disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the limited role of HGV as the etiological agent of non A-E acute hepatitis. The great majority of non A-E hepatitis cases are yet of undetermined origin and unfortunately, are characterized by a high rate of progression to chronic active hepatitis.
Authors: Eloy Gonzales-Gustavson; N Timoneda; X Fernandez-Cassi; A Caballero; J F Abril; M Buti; F Rodriguez-Frias; R Girones Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-10-05 Impact factor: 3.240