Clinical Significance of Liver Biopsy in Chronic Hepatic Disease Patients with Negative Serological Markers

Objective: To study the clinical significance of liver biopsy in chronic hepatic disease patients with negative serological markers. Methods: HBV-DNA and HCV-RNA were detected in 67 chronic hepatic disease patients with non A-E hepatitis. Liver specimens of all the cases were examined by immunohistochemistry for HBsAg, and HBcAg. Results: Serum HBV-DNA were lower than 1 × 104 copies/mL and HCV-RNA were negative in all cases. Among the 67 liver histological assays, HBsAg or HBcAg of 36 cases were positive. 11 cases were non-alcoholic fatty hepatitis, 9 cases were toxic liver injury, and 11 cases were cryptogenic hepatitis. Histological changes of 8 cases were liver cirrhosis including 5 HBV positive and 3 cryptogenic cases. Conclusion: The etiological of non A-E hepatitis patients is mostly HBV infection. Liver biopsy shows its important value in diagnosis.