ABSTRACT
This study aimed at identification of factors that could be associated with development of hepatic fibrosis in children with HCV infection. The study was carried out at the Pediatric Hepatology Unit, Cairo University Children's Hospital, Egypt. Liver biopsies were obtained from 43 children with HCV infection after having informed consent from their parents in the period "1995-2002". Their mean age at liver biopsy was and 8.67 +/- 4.3 years. Boys: girls ratio was 1.3:1. The results proved that, by examining the 43 patients' biopsies, 12 were having no fibrosis, 20 were having mild fibrosis and 11 were having moderate to severe fibrosis. The median time for development of fibrosis was estimated to be 5.5 years. Developing fibrosis was significantly associated with shorter duration from first detected ALT elevation to biopsy [P =0.015] and having higher levels of direct serum bilirubin [P Value=0.048]. Unexpectedly, development of fibrosis was slower in the group with co- morbid conditions compared to the group with no co-morbid conditions [P =0.04]. The development of hepatic fibrosis in children with HCV infection was associated with shorter duration of first detected ALT elevation to biopsy and higher direct serum bilirubin levels and it was progressing more slowly in the group having co-morbid conditions