OBJECTIVETo investigate the natural history and clinical outcomes in a cohort of transfusion-related hepatitis C in northern areas of China. Methods The authors studied 283 patients (137 males, 146 females, mean age 45.79+/-9.92 age) who became infected with HCV while donating plasma 12.25 years ago. These cases were subjected to ultrasonography and liver biochemical tests and serologic anti-HCV assays. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS software.

RESULTSUltrasonographic findings suggestive of liver cirrhosis were 8.3% of cases. No decompensated cirrhosis or HCC was detected. The value of ALT was higher in severe chronic hepatitis (mean 62.07+/-50.87 IU/L) and cirrhosis (mean 115.50+/-108.41 IU/L) patients than in the other groups (mean 32.30+/-29.10 IU/L). The abnormal rate of ALT was 53.3% in severe group, 100% in cirrhosis group.

CONCLUSIONThe natural history of transfusion-related hepatitis C in the areas seemed to be relatively mild when compared with previous data. Our cases showed relatively low rate of positive findings in ultrasonography. None of this cohort had the decompensated cirrhosis or HCC. The factor of sex but not the age at time of infection was found being related to the outcomes. In the absence of liver biopsy, ultrasonography was a suitable and sensitive method for the diagnosis of the progressive hepatitis and cirrhosis.