[Positive rate of serum anti-HCV in various liver diseases and the clinico-pathological study of chronic liver disease in alcoholics].

The aim of this study was to elucidate the positive rate of serum anti-HCV in alcoholic (with negative HBsAg and without blood transfusion history) and non-alcoholic (type-B and type-NANB) patients with chronic liver diseases. The clinico-pathological difference between anti-HCV positive and negative alcoholic patients was also investigated. Anti-HCV (Chiron C-100-3) was assayed with Ortho EIA kit in 196 patients. Liver function tests and the histological findings were evaluated in 111 cases of chronic hepatitis (CH) and 39 of liver cirrhosis (LC). Following results were obtained. [1] Positive rate of serum anti-HCV in alcoholic patients was 40% in CH, 36% in LC and 100% in hepatocellular carcinoma. In non-alcoholic type-NANB group, it was 75%, 68% and 69%, respectively. [2] Serum GGT/ALT ratio was higher in anti-HCV negative patients than positive patients both in CH and LC alcoholics. In non-alcoholic group, it was higher in type-NANB patients than type-B patients. [3] Among the histological findings in CH alcoholics, lymph follicles in the portal area were characteristic in anti-HCV positive patients, while these were not seen in negative patients. [4] In LC alcoholics, regenerative nodules were irregular in size in anti-HCV positive patients, while these were even and small in negative patients. [5] Serum HCV-RNA was detected in two out of 14 anti-HCV negative patients. [6] A female alcoholic patient who showed positive serum anti-HCV and negative HCV-RNA was presented. [7] For the evaluation of the influence of HCV in alcoholics, further studies have to be continued with more sensitive HCV markers.