OBJECTIVETo further understand chronic severe hepatitis (CSH) and to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment and to explore the methods to reduce the fatality rate of CSH through analysing the factors related to prognosis of CSH.

METHODSThe factors related to prognosis from 520 cases with CSH were analyzed by SPASS and STATA software.

RESULTS1. The fatality rate in cases with age > or = 40 years was higher than that in cases with age <40 years (P<0.001), there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in sex and pathogenic basis of CSH; 2. The fatality rate rose in cases with WBC > or = 10.0 x 10(9) per liter or platelet <100 x 10(9) per liter; 3. The fatality rate increased gradually with the ratio of aspartic aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase (AST/ALT) and serum total bilirubin (TBil), appearance of deviation of TBil and ALT, decrease in prothrombin activity (PTA), total cholesterol (TC), cholinesterase and albumin (Alb) (P<0.001). 4. The fatality rate increased with appearance of complications such as ascites, electrolyte disturbance, spontaneous peritonitis and so on (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe important factors related to prognosis were age, > or = 40 years, WBC 10.0 x 10(9) per liter or platelet <100 x 10(9) per liter; the ratio of AST/ALT, TBil, Tc, cholinesterase, Alb and complication, to monitor dynamically laboratory indexes such as TBil, PTA, Tc, cholinesterase and so on and to prevent and cure various complications are important measures to reduce the fatality rate of CSH.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alanine Transaminase ; blood ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; blood ; Bilirubin ; blood ; Child ; Cholinesterases ; blood ; D-Alanine Transaminase ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; blood ; complications ; mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Serum Albumin ; analysis ; Thrombin ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo discuss features of onset of chronic severe viral hepatitis (CSH).

METHODSThe patterns of onset of 520 cases of CSH were analyzed by SPASS and STATA software.

RESULTS1. Within less than 10 days, less than 2 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks, 4 weeks to 6 months, 10.4%, 18.1%, 17.1% and 64.8% of 520 cases deteriorated into severe hepatitis respectively. 2. There were no definite predisposing factors in more than 40% cases. There were 1 to 3 or more predisposing factors in more than 30% cases. The incidence of concurrent infection was the highest (P<0.01). 3. The pathogenic basis in more than 50% cases was cirrhosis. 4. Hepatic encephalopathy did not occur in more than 50% of the cases. Ascites occurred in more than 75% of cases. Hepatic encephalopathy first occurred in less than 5% cases and ascites in more than 10% of cases. 5. The latest time for occurrence of hepatic encephalopathy was later than the time of deteriorating into severe hepatitis.

CONCLUSIONS1. Gradual deterioration into CSH was found in all the 520 cases. 2. The predisposing factors, pathogenic bases, incidence and occurring time of hepatic encephalopathy, firstly occurring complication and so on in CSH are not the same as those in acute and subacute severe hepatitis. Therefore, CSH should be independently named and the study of CSH should be strengthened.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Ascites ; etiology ; Child ; Female ; Hepatic Encephalopathy ; etiology ; Hepatitis, Chronic ; complications ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; complications ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUNDTo investigate the method and therapeutic efficacy of artificial liver support system (ALSS) in treatment of severe viral hepatitis.

METHODSA total of 83 patients including 66 with severe viral hepatitis were treated with ALSS using Baxter-550 artificial kidney and Biologic-DT system.

RESULTSThe levels of mean bilirubin, ALT, AST, BUN, Cr and endotoxin was significantly decreased after the treatment. Of the 66 patients?with severe viral hepatitis, 31(47.0%) had improvement in symptoms and 35 (53.0%) died or left hospital. In the control group,50(27.6%) out of the 181 had improvement in symptoms and 131(72.4%) died or left hospital.

CONCLUSIONSALSS could exert certain therapeutic effects on severe viral hepatitis.

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; therapy ; Humans ; Liver, Artificial ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome