Dual infection in chronic hepatitis C patients.

UNLABELLED

Hepatitis C and B virus(HCV, HBV) dual infection may occur and even persist in the same patient. Different results have been found in clinical and laboratory studies of dually infected patients.

AIM

In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of previous or present hepatitis B virus infection to clinical course and antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHOD

Hundredthirty consecutive patients with hepatitis C, who were referred to our gastroenterology unit, were studied retrospectively. Patients who were exposed to HBV infection were named as group 1, and patients who had pure hepatitis C infection were named as group 2. Fifty patients in group 1 were compared with 80 patients in group 2. HBs Ag was positive in 12, and HBV antibodies were positive in the other 38 patients of group 1.

RESULTS

Age, sex, follow-up duration, transaminase levels, liver synthesis functions, histopathological findings, Child-Pugh stages and presence of complications were not statistically different in groups 1 and 2. HBV-DNA by PCR assay was negative in all 12 HBs Ag positive patients. Hepatocelluler carcinoma(HCC) was found totally in 8 cases, 2 in group 1 and 6 in group 2, while none in HBs Ag positive patients. Antiviral therapy was administired to 39 patients, 15 in group 1 and 24 in group 2. There was no difference in regard to treatment duration and response to treatment between both groups.

CONCLUSION

In our study, we have found previous or present HBV infections were observed frequently in chronic hepatitis C patients, although it's effect to clinical course and antiviral therapy is not significant.