Effect of smoking on liver histological activity in chronic hepatitis C

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