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Morbidity and mortality from chronic hepatitis B virus infection in family members of patients with malignant and nonmalignant hepatitis B virus–related chronic liver diseases
Author(s) -
Lok Anna S. F.,
Lai ChingLung,
Chung HauTim,
Lau Johnson Y. N.,
Leung Elsie K. Y.,
Wong Loretta S. K.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.1840130506
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , cirrhosis , hepatology , hepatitis b virus , chronic liver disease , hbsag , gastroenterology , asymptomatic , liver disease , asymptomatic carrier , hepatitis , hepatitis b , family history , viral hepatitis , virus , immunology
Three‐hundred forty‐one HBsAg‐positive family members of 152 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (47 asymptomatic carriers, 59 with chronic hepatitis, 17 with cirrhosis and 29 with hepatocellular carcinoma) were prospectively studied to determine the morbidity and mortality from chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the family members of patients with malignant and nonmalignant hepatitis B virus–related chronic liver diseases. Most of the family members had no history of acute hepatitis, were asymptomatic and were unaware of their carrier status. However, 5.3% had stigmata of chronic liver disease, 6% had serum ALT levels that exceeded two times the upper limit of normal and 78% of those who had biopsies had chronic hepatitis with or without cirrhosis. During a follow‐up period of 12 to 90 mo (median = 39 mo), 3% had symptoms of chronic liver disease; 24% had transient, recurrent or persistent elevation in serum ALT levels, 1.4% had cirrhosis and 1% had hepatocellular carcinoma. Neither hepatocellular carcinoma in the index patient nor a previous history of hepatocellular carcinoma in the family was associated with an increase in the morbidity and mortality from chronic hepatitis B virus infection in the HBsAg‐positive family members. (H EPATOLOGY 1991;13:834–837.)