[Clinical and histological features of acute post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis: histological diagnosis in acute stage and clinical outcome].

: We have retrospectively studied the clinical and histological features of 55 cases of acute post-transfusion non-A, non-B hepatitis. Histological findings in the liver biopsies taken in the acute stage covered the whole spectrum of acute and chronic hepatitis, the incidence of acute hepatitis or non-specific reactive hepatitis was 12.7% and 16/4%, respectively, while that of chronic active hepatitis was 56.4%. There was no correlation between histological features in acute stage and the mean peak levels in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Post-transfusion hepatitis, non-A, non-B with histological signs of chronic hepatitis in acute stage frequently results in biochemical evidence of chronic liver disease during long-term follow-up periods. Therefore, our results suggest that the histological features of chronic hepatitis in the acute stage are indicative of long-term elevation in serum ALT level.