Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1999. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 15, 1999; 5(2): 107-110
Published online Apr 15, 1999. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v5.i2.107
A comparison between previous and present histologic assessments of chronic hepatitis C viral infections in humans
N Assy, GY Minuk
N Assy, Liver Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, and The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
GY Minuk, Liver Diseases Unit, Departments of Medicine & Pharmacology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Nimer Assy, Fassouta, Upper Galilee, 2517 0 Box 428. drnimer@netvision.net.il
Telephone: (04)9870-080 Fax: (04)9870-080
Received: March 2, 1999
Revised: March 18, 1999
Accepted: March 23, 1999
Published online: April 15, 1999
Abstract

AIM To compare the previously employed classification of liver histology (minimal, chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis) with a new classification recently described by Sheuer et al (activity grade and fibrosis stage) in percutaneous liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infections.

METHODS Liver biopsies from 79 untreated patients were reviewed. Anti-HCV testing had been performed by ELISA and confirmed by a recombinant immunoblot assay. With respect to the new classification, all the specimens were evaluated using the Knodell score for activity.

RESULTS A good correlation was revealed between the previous and more recent histologic classifications in patients with abnormal liver enzyme tests. However, in 13/15 (87%) of patients with normal aminotransferase values, changes were consistent with chronic persistent hepatitis whereas normal activity and no fibrosis were demonstrated by the Sheuer classification.

CONCLUSION The old classification is more often misleading but correlates well with the new classification and thereby permits comparisons between historically clinical studies.

Keywords: hepatitis C/pathology; hepatitis/patholo gy; liver/pathology; hepatitis/chronic active