Abstract | OBJECTIVES: Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) are frequently infected with hepatotropic viruses which could alter the clinical spectrum of the disease. We studied the seroprevalence of hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and their impact on the clinical profile of patients with AC. METHODS: Two hundred and ten hospitalized patients of AC were studied and screened for markers of HBV and HCV infection. Clinical, biochemical and virological correlation was done. RESULTS: One hundred and forty (66.6%) patients had no viral infection Group I, 50 (23.8%) were positive for HBsAg Group II and 20 (9.5%) for anti-HCV Group III. All patients were males with comparable ages (43.9 years, 44 years and 45.9 years respectively). The amount of alcohol consumed by patients in Group III (130 +/- 115 g/d) was significantly less than Group II (204 +/- 130 g/d, P < 0.05) and Group I (281 +/- 188 g/d, p < 0.001). The duration of alcohol abuse was shorter in Group II and III, although not statistically significant. Presentation as jaundice was common in Group II and III (p < 0.05). The AST and ALT values (IU/L) were significantly higher in Group II (239 +/- 351, 197 +/- 266) and III (157 +/- 170, 86 +/- 52) than Group I (89 +/- 78, 66 +/- 54) (P < 0.05). The serum alkaline phosphatase (IU/L) was higher in Group III (349 +/- 223) as compared to Group II (263 +/- 186) and Group I (162 +/- 62) (P < 0.05). There was however, no difference in Child's grade or the discriminant function between the three groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS:
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Authors | S Saigal, D Kapoor, N Tandon, V Thakur, R C Guptan, S R Agarwal, S K Sarin |
Journal | The Journal of the Association of Physicians of India
(J Assoc Physicians India)
Vol. 50
Pg. 1002-6
(Aug 2002)
ISSN: 0004-5772 [Print] India |
PMID | 12421019
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Topics |
- Adult
- Alcohol Drinking
- Case-Control Studies
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
- Hepatitis B
(complications, epidemiology)
- Hepatitis C
(complications, epidemiology)
- Humans
- Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic
(complications, virology)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Retrospective Studies
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
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