Case report                                     

UDC: 616.36-002

doi: 10.5633/amm.2011.0209

 

 

Fate of patients with late-detected hepatitis C infection - case reports

Velimir Kostić¹, Aleksandar Petrović², Jelena Radović³, Jovana Kostić³, Stevan Vujić³, Branislav Jovanović¹ and Lidija Popović¹

Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Niš, Serbia¹

Department of Infectious Diseases in Zaječar, Serbia²

University of Niš Faculty of Medicine, Serbia³

 

 

Chronic hepatitis C virus infection represents an insidious disease that is often detected with signs of liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. It is practicaly impossible to achieve a significant therapeutic progress in these patients without performing a liver transplantation. However, due to underdeveloped program of organ donations, this kind of intervention, as the last helpful procedure, is often not realized.

This study presents three patients (out of 121 treated patients) followed during a two-year period. The patients had been initially registered when the stage of their disease became severe: liver failure with signs of decompensation. Antiviral therapy (pegylated interferon and ribavirin) in these patients have no use, hence only a corrective therapy is administered. Pathohistological findings in two patients revealed hepatocellular carcinoma, and in one case lethal outcome was the result of severe hepatic decompensation, hepatopulmonary and hepatorenal syndromes, as well as developed cardiopulmonary failure. Lethal outcome occurred in the period of 2 to 14 months after the first visit to a doctor. One patient was on the list for liver transplantation; however, surgery was not performed and soon after a fatal outcome ensued. Acta Medica Medianae 2011;50(2):49-52.

 

      Key words: chronic hepatitis C, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, antiviral agents