[Long-term clinical observations of chronic active hepatitis HBsAg (+)].

This paper presents results of 3-18 year clinical observation of 48 patients with chronic active hepatitis HBsAg (+). 40 patients had suffered viral hepatitis for a period from 6 months to 3 years (avg. 1.5 year) before chronic active hepatitis manifested. Cirrhosis hepatis was a consequence of chronic active hepatitis in 52.1%, chronic active hepatitis in 45.8%, and chronic persistence in 2.1% of cases, during observation period. The average transition time from chronic active hepatitis to cirrhosis was 3 years. 48% of cirrhosis hepatis occurred within 2 years starting from recognition of chronic active hepatitis and 80% within 5 years. Most cases of cirrhosis were recorded if patients had been treated with penicillamine and prednisone (80% of cases), then with azathioprine and prednisone (48% of cases), while the least with ++non-immunosuppressive therapy (penicillamine, isoprinosine or "+hepatic protectors").