ABSTRACT
Aims and methods: Toexaminetheassociation between smoking and histological liver lesions in chronic hepatitis C, we studied 50 patients [mean age 45.9 years] with laboratory proven chronic hepatitis C [HCV Ab. by ELISA]. Daily tobacco consumption before liver biopsy was recorded as the number of cigarettes smoked daily. The duration of tobacco consumption was recorded by years of smoking. Liver biopsy specimens were graded for histological activity and fibrosis according to the METAVIR scoring system
Results: the proportion of patients with mild, moderate ,and marked histological activity [,Al,A2,and A3] increased gradually with daily tobacco consumption: from 16 patients with marked histological activity grade A3 : '5[50% of heavey smokers >15 cig/day] comparing to, 7 [3 1. 9 % of 1-15 cig/days]and4[22.2% with no history of smoking] however, 17 patients of grade A2 moderate histological activity:6[33.3% non smokers],7[31.9% smoked 1 -15cig/day],and 4[40% smoked>15cig/day],lastly from 17patients of grade Al mild histological activity:8[44.'4%of non smokers],8[36.4% of 1-15 cig/day smokers],and l[10%of >15cig/day smokers][p<0.05].which mean ;a significance difference with smoking groups rather than other in grading of histological activity
Conclusion: This study suggests that smoking could aggravate the histological activity of chronic hepatitis C and that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection should be advised to stop smoking.Abbreviations: HCV, hepatitis C virus; CCL4; carbon tetrachloride; HBs Ag, Hepatitis B surface antigen