(5Years Follow up of Hepatitis C Virus Antibody Positive Patients : A Clinical, Laboratory and Ultrasonographic Study (Retrospective Study

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major health concern with about 170 million people infected worldwide. Despite the presence of numerous studies on HCV infection, the natural history is not yet fully established, particularly in our country. The aim of this preliminmy study was to describe the natural course of clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic changes in anti-HCV pcsitive patients over a 5 year-period through a retrospective approach. Accordingly, data analysis was performed for 95 anti-HCV positive patients (all HCV-RNA PCR positive), 87 males and 8 females, aged 18-62 years (mean ±SD: 40.9 ±7.4 years). All of them had normal clinical, ultrasonographic findings and ALT levels at the beginning of the 5 years follow up period.

Regarding ALT levels, patients were categorized into 4 groups: group 1) persistently normal ALT (PNALT) in 51.6%, group 2) fluctuating slight elevations (2:1.5 <2 times the upper limit of noonal) in 16.8%, group 3) elevations 2:2 times normal (21.1%), and group 4) elevations >3 times normal (10.5%). The most common symptom was fatigue (66%), followed by right upper abdominal pain (51.6%), and dyspeptic symptoms (26.3%). Pain and fatigue were significantly lower in PNALT vs. raised ALT patients (p<O.OOI). In raised ALT patients, the presence of symptoms was not different in relation to the degree of ALT elevation. 47.4% of patients were polysymptomatic and this was significantly lower in the PNALT group (p<O.Ol). Conversely, 24.2% of patients were asymptomatic and this was significantly higher in the PNALT group (p<O.OOl).