Clinical and epidemiological studies of hepatitis A during the past 20 years in Tokyo Women's Medical University

We investigated 198 patients with hepatitis A who were hospitalized at Tokyo Women's Medical University from 1981 to 2000. The age of patients at diagnosis tended to increase over the period. The incidence of severe and prolonged hepatitis in the 1990s was significantly higher than in the 1980s. No relationship between age of patients and GPT level, or between age and complication rate of acute renal failure was observed. However, total bilirubin (T-bil) and TTT levels in the elderly group were significantly higher than those in the young and middle-aged groups, and the duration of disease tended to be longer in the elderly group. T-bil and GPT levels in fulminant and severe hepatitis cases were significantly higher than those in nonsevere hepatitis cases. Aging and complication of chronic liver disease were considered to be associated with more severe hepatitis.