Background/aims: Hepatitis C virus is a hepatotrophic flavivirus infecting 170 million people worldwide and 3.2% people in China. We aim to investigate the clinical outcomes and hepatic histology of patients with hepatitis C in the north of China.
Methodology: Nine patients with hepatitis C, 4 males and 5 females, aged 44 +/- 7 years old, who were infected during transfusion or blood donation underwent follow-up for 13-27 years. We performed liver histological examination by biopsy, ultrasonography, and biochemical examination of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase, and total bilirubin. The serum anti-HCV was detected by ELISA, and HCV RNA quantification by PCR.
Results: ALT were higher than the normal value at every time point and HCV RNA remained positive (3.57 x 10(5) - 7.21 x 10(6) copies/mL) in all patients. Ultrasonography showed mild and moderated hepatitis (3 and 6 cases respectively). The modified histological activity indices (HAI) were 5.0-8.5 and fibrosis scores were 1-4. The ALT value was higher in the moderate cases than in the mild cases, and higher in those with higher HAI. The viral load was higher in the patients infected by the virus of the genotype 1b than in the patients infected by the virus of genotype 2.
Conclusions: The clinical outcomes and hepatic histology of patients with hepatitis C in north of China seem not very severe.