Morphological characteristics of chronic hepatitis : A comparative study on Turkish patients

Background: Chronic hepatitis caused by hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses have characteristic histological features. We aimed to compare these histological features between two groups. Methods : We worked on two groups each contains 50 patients, that are serologically proven, have hepatitis B and hepatitis C. These patients were analysed according to the histological features which are more often seen in chronic hepatitis C. Results : We found higher percentage of lymphoid follicles and aggregates in portal tracts, bile duct damage or loss and lym- phoreticular reaction in patients with chronic hepatitis C than chronic hepatitis B (44% - 12%, 96% - 14%, 84% - 40%, respec- tively). We recorded most patients with severe portal tract inflam- mation were in group of chronic hepatitis C (86%). Bile duct loss wasn't observed in any patients with chronic hepatitis B , while it was present in 44% of chronic hepatitis C group. There was no significant difference between two hepatitis groups with regard to fatty change. 13 out of 14 patients, having all those above men- tioned histological findings, diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C whereas only one patient had chronic hepatitis B. Conclusions : Aggregates and follicles forming portal inflamma- tion, lymphoreticular reaction together with bile duct damage, especially with bile duct loss strongly indicates presence of chronic hepatitis C. (Acta gastroenterol. belg., 2002, 65, 146-149).