Liver biopsy findings in patients with alcoholic liver disease complicated by chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Kyriacou, E.; Simmonds, P.; Miller, E.K.; Bouchier, I.A.; Hayes, P.C.; Harrison, D.J.
European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology 7(4): 331-334
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0954-691X
PMID: 7600139
Accession: 043543082
To identify the features of concurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in liver biopsies from patients thought to have alcoholic liver disease. Fifty-five patients with a history of excess alcohol consumption were studied. All patients underwent liver biopsy. Eight of the 55 patients studied were found to be HCV-positive. The histological features found to be most useful for identifying concurrent HCV infection were the presence of lymphoid aggregates in portal tracts (predictive value 100%), the presence of lymphocytes in the lobules (predictive value 83%), and the pattern of fibrosis, particularly periportal spurring rather than perivenular fibrosis (predictive value 75%).