Korean J Gastroenterol.  2009 Sep;54(3):155-161. 10.4166/kjg.2009.54.3.155.

Changes in Liver Stiffness after Acute or Chronic Liver Injury due to Viral Hepatitis - Does Fibrosis Exist after Recovery from Acute Viral Hepatitis?

• Kim JH
• Yim HJ
• Kim SY
• Ahn JH
• Jung YK
• Joo MK
• Kim SH
• Kim JH
• Seo YS
• Yeon JE
• Lee HS
• Um SH
• Lee SW
• Byun KS
• Choi JH
• Ryu HS

• KMID: 1775951
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4166/kjg.2009.54.3.155

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Liver stiffness (LS) measurement by transient elastography can estimate the degrees of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. However, longitudinal data of LS after recovery of acute viral hepatitis are still lacking. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate among LS of patients at various stages of viral hepatitis and normal control. METHODS: Patients who had admitted at Korea University Ansan Hospital between January 2006 and January 2007 due to acute viral hepatitis and recovered were recruited (group A, n=22). We compared the liver biochmistry and LS of group A with those of healthy control group (group B, n=23), current acute viral hepatitis group (group C, n=49), and chronic viral hepatitis group (group D, n=66). RESULTS: Mean ALT, total bilirubin, and LS level of group A were not different from group B (p=0.318, p=0.116, p=0.125, respectively). However, group A had lower ALT, total bilirubin, and LS values compared to group C (all p<0.001), and lower ALT and LS values compared to group D (p=0.007, p<0.001). The mean total bilirubin was not significantly different from group D (p=0.117). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that liver fibrosis is a long-term sequela of chronic hepatitis, and not developed in patients who recovered from acute viral hepatitis.

Keyword

Transient elastography; Liver stiffness; Acute viral hepatitis; Fibrosis

MeSH Terms

Acute Disease
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Alanine Transaminase/blood
Bilirubin/analysis
Carrier State
Chronic Disease
Elasticity
Elasticity Imaging Techniques
Female
Hepatitis, Viral, Human/*complications/diagnosis
Humans
Liver/enzymology/*ultrasonography
Liver Cirrhosis/*ultrasonography/*virology
Male
Middle Aged

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Comparison of biochemistry and liver stiffness among recovered group (group A) and other groups (group B, C, or D). (A) ALT: Group A showed significant difference compared with group C and group D, but not with group B. (B) Total bilirubin: Group A showed significant difference compared with group C, but not with group B and group D. (C) Liver stiffness: Group A showed significant difference compared with group C and group D, but not with group B. Group A, recovered group; Group B, healthy control group; Group C, current acute hepatitis group; Group D, chronic hepatitis group.

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