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

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG Vol. 13; no. 20; pp. 2846 - 2851
• Main Authors: El-Hawary, Manal A, El-Raziky, Mona S, Esmat, Gamal, Soliman, Hanan, Abouzied, Amr, El-Raziky, Maissa, El-Akel, Wafaa, El-Sayed, Rokaya, Shebl, Fatma, Shaheen, Abdel-Aziz, El-Karaksy, Hanaa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Department of Pediatrics, Fayoum University, Egypt%Department of Pediatrics, Cairo University, Egypt%Department of Tropical Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt%Department of Pathology, Cairo University,Egypt%Department of Tropical Medicine, Hepatitis C Project, Egypt%Department of Public Health, National Liver Institute, Egypt 28.05.2007; Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alanine Transaminase - metabolism; Bilirubin - blood; Biopsy; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Progression; Egypt; Female; Hepacivirus - pathogenicity; Hepatitis C - complications; Hepatitis C - ethnology; Hepatitis C - pathology; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Liver - virology; Liver Cirrhosis - ethnology; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; Liver Cirrhosis - virology; Male; Rapid Communication; Risk Factors; Egypt; Children; Hepatitis C virus; Liver; Egypt; Fibrosis
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i20.2846

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