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. 2007 May 28;13(20):2846-51.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i20.2846.

Assessment of hepatic fibrosis in pediatric cases with hepatitis C virus in Egypt

Manal A El-Hawary  1 , Mona S El-Raziky, Gamal Esmat, Hanan Soliman, Amr Abouzied, Maissa El-Raziky, Wafaa El-Akel, Rokaya El-Sayed, Fatma Shebl, Abdel-Aziz Shaheen, Hanaa El-Karaksy
Affiliations

Assessment of hepatic fibrosis in pediatric cases with hepatitis C virus in Egypt

Manal A El-Hawary et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To assess hepatic fibrosis and factors associated with its progression in children with HCV infection.

Methods: At the Hepatology Unit, Cairo University Children's Hospital, a single liver biopsy was performed to 43 children with HCV infection after an informed consent between 1998-2004. Their mean age at liver biopsy was 8.67 +/- 4.3 years.

Results: Among the 43 patients' biopsies, 12 (27.9%) were having no fibrosis, 20 (46.5%) mild fibrosis and 11 (25.6%) moderate to severe fibrosis. The median time for development of fibrosis was estimated to be 5.5 years. Developing fibrosis was significantly associated with shorter duration from first detected ALT elevation to biopsy (12 mo vs 1.2 mo, P=0.015) and having higher levels of direct serum bilirubin (0.3 mg/dL vs 0.5 mg/dL, P=0.048). No association was found between fibrosis stage and the presence of co-morbid conditions (P=0.33).

Conclusion: Hepatic fibrosis was present in 72.1% of children with HCV infection. The development of fibrosis was associated with higher levels of direct serum bilirubin. There was no significant association between fibrosis and age, duration of infection, risk factors, co-morbid conditions and most biochemical parameters.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Cumulative hazard of fibrosis development.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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