Histological changes in liver biopsies from patients with chronic hepatitis.

A material of 111 biopsies exhibiting chronic hepatitis from 111 patients has been selected from a total consecutive liver biopsy material of 3774. The material is divided into two groups: 85 patients exhibiting changes as in chronic aggressive hepatitis and 26 patients with histological changes as in chronic persistent hepatitis. The incidence and degree of portal and parenchymal changes in both groups is described. A morphologic follow up gives evidence for a general poor prognosis in cases with chronic aggressive hepatitis often with development of cirrhosis, whereas the prognosis in chronic persistent hepatitis is excellent, and cirrhosis will with almost certainty not develop. It is stressed that in the cases with chronic persistent hepatitis the morphologic and functional findings only justify the statement, that this condition appears to be chronic persistent hepatitis. Only after repeated examinations which reveal no progression, but a similar picture over many months, can the definite diagnosis be made.