Posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis. A prospective study

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Abstract
The clinical data, prognostic factors and chronic liver sequelae in 68 patients who developed posttransfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis was studied. The mean incubation period was 5.9 wk with a range from 2.1-12 wk, 63.5% of the patients were asymptomatic and 60.6% anicteric. The chronicity rate (elevated ALT [alanine aninetransferase level] values for a period of more than 6 mo.) was 67.6%. The chronicity rate of symptomatic hepatitis (95.5%) was significantly higher than that of asymptomatic hepatitis (54.5%) (P < 0.01). Monophasic hepatitis, characterized by a rapid elevation in serum ALT followed by a rapid decline with no further fluctuations, had a chronicity rate (42.5%) significantly lower than polyphasic hepatitis (86.6%) (P < 0.05) and plateau type hepatitis (94.4%) (P < 0.01). Results of 35 liver biopsies carried out among 46 patients with elevated ALT after 6 mo. were as follows: chronic active hepatitis, 15 cases; prolonged acute hepatitis, 12 cases; chronic persistent hepatitis, 6 cases; posthepatitis liver changes, 1 case; and secondary hemosiderosis, 1 case.