The effect of habitual alcohol drinking of the development of type B chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma

The effect of habitual alcohol drinkng on the development and progress of type B chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied for 88 patients with a history of intake of more than 80g/day of ethanol for more than 5 years (group A) and 116 patients of no alcohol drinking (group B). The average age of LC and HCC cases in group A was 47, and 50 years, respectively, being 2 and 12 years younger than that of group B. The 5-year cumulative survival rate of LC cases was 51.3% in group A and 75.7% in group B. The 3-year cumulative survival rate of HCC cases in group A and group B was 6.3% and 16.8%, respectively, however, abstinence after the diagnosis of LC was established showed no significant difference in cumulative survival rate from the group of continued alcohol drinking. In cases of repetitive liver biopsies, aggravation was observed in 61.0% of group A and 47.1% of group B. Improvement was seen in 11.0% and 35.3%, and development into LC in 55.6% and 29.4%, respectively. There was no significant difference in incidence of HBeAg and intrahepatic HBcAg between the two groups.