[Frequency and prognostic value of the "e" system in hepatitis B virus infection]. / Frecventa si valoarea prognostica a sistemului "e" în infectia cu virusul hepatic B.

The frequency and prognostic value of the "e" system was determined in acute and chronic hepatitis patients and in blood donors by immunodiffusion on Abott rheophoresis plates. The incidence of HBe Ag in acute viral hepatitis was 20% at the beginning of the disease; its persistance indicated a prolonged evolution and a tendency to a chronic course. The presence of anti-HBe at the beginning of the acute disease may indicate the onset of a non-B hepatitis in an HBe carrier. In chronic hepatitis the incidence of HBe Ag was 58% and in blood donors only 6%. Anti-HBe was absent in chronic hepatitis and present in 15% of blood donors.

[Incidence and duration of blood HBs antigen in convalescents after type B viral hepatitis]. / Antigenemia HBs ca frecventa si durata la convalescentii de hepatita virala tip B.

The presence of HBs Ag was determined by contraelectrophoresis in 500 convalescents after hepatitis B, at the moment of discharge and after 1--3 and 6 months. Antigen carriage is prolonged in hepatitis B, 51% of the convalescents being positive on discharge and 10% remaining persistent carriers. This was more frequent in males, young adults and those who had suffered from mild, prolonged forms of the disease. As only 42% of the patients became negative within the first 20 days of hospitalization it became necessary to prolong their stay in hospital and to follow up the patients subsequently in an out-patient unit.

[Diagnostic value of serum conjugated bile acids in viral hepatitis]. / Valoarea diagnostica a diferitilor acizi biliari conjugati seric în hepatita virala

Total and conjugated biliary acids were determined in a lot of 105 subjects, including 15 healthy persons, 60 with acute viral hepatitis, 10 with chronic evolutive hepatitis, 10 with cholecystophaties and dyskinesia and 10 with obstructive jaundice. A marked diminution in the proportion of conjugated biliary acids was found in acute hepatitis and cholecystopathies. Chenodioxycholic and dioxycholic acid increase in acute diseases of the liver, whereas cholic acid increases in obstructive jaundice and chronic hepatitis, with a consecutive almost threefold reduction of th ratio of trihydroxycholanic to dihydroxycholanic acids in acute lesions of the liver cells. The ratio of glycoconjugated acids to taurocholic acids is smaller inchronic hepatitis and diseases of the gallbladder than in acute hepatitis and obstructive jaudice. Study of these ratios may represent an element of differential diagnosis in diseases of the liver and viral hepatitis. Determination of the biliary acids may have a prognostic value since an increase in these acids persists with the hepatic lesions. Determination of the biliary acids is technically difficult and may be used for diagnostic purposes only within the context of other hepatic explorations.