Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Influences the Disease Progression of Chronic Hepatitis C (CH-C): Histopathological Study of Liver Biopsies in 400 Cases with CH-C

Aims: The occasional occurrence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) has been reported, but the influence of NASH on the disease progression of CH-C has not been clarified. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the influence of NASH on the disease progression of CH-C. Methods and Results: Liver biopsies from 400 cases of CH-C were examined histologically, and the histological evaluation of previous liver biopsies was also performed in selected cases. The association of NASH was observed in 69 cases (69/400, 17%). Among the 21 cases with NASH in an advanced stage, previous liver biopsies were evaluated in four cases, and, in three cases, the progression of stage from the early to advance was confirmed by repeated biopsies. The progression of the stage was induced by both CH-C and NASH equally in two cases, and the progression occurred mainly due to CH-C and partly due to NASH in one case. Conclusions: The present study confirmed that the association of NASH influences the disease progression of CH-C and the disease progression is caused by both CH-C and NASH equally or CH-C mainly. These new findings are useful for the treatment of CH-C with NASH.