Chronic Persistent Hepatitis Long-Term Prospective Study on the Natural Course of the Disease

Abstract

Ninety-nine patients with chronic persistent hepatitis were followed up in a prospective study for an average of 6.7 years. Fifty-six patients had positive HBV markers; 29 of these patients had persistent HBs antigenemia, and 4 had persistent HBe antigenemia. No patient developed chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver. It can be concluded that chronic persistent hepatitis is a benign non-progressive disease that does not require therapy.

Key Words:

• Chronic active hepatitis
• chronic lobular hepatitis
• chronic persistent hepatitis
• long-term follow-up study