Jorge J. Gumucio, Robert P. Perillo – 1 April 1991 – To identify previously unrecognized sources for acquiring acute hepatitis B and non‐A, non‐B (NANB) hepatitis, we interviewed patients with these types of hepatitis who were reported to two county health departments in the United States and matched control subjects for known and potential risk factors for acquiring hepatitis. Of 218 patients with hepatitis B and 140 patients with NANB hepatitis, 46% and 53%, respectively, had no commonly recognized source for infection.

1 April 1991

Christian Gluud, Harold O. Conn, L. S. Eriksson – 1 April 1991

Thomas P. Almdal, Thorkild I. A. Sørensen – 1 April 1991 – The sex‐specific and age‐specific incidence rates of the major parenchymal liver diseases in a North European population were estimated using a computerized registry of all admissions to somatic hospitals in Denmark.

Francesco Salerno, Salvatore Badalamenti, Elettra Lorenzano, Pamela Moser, Pierluigi Incerti – 1 April 1991 – Fifty‐four cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites were treated with one‐session large‐volume paracentesis and randomly assigned to two groups. The first group was infused with human albumin, and the second group was infused with hemaccel at doses with comparable oncotic power. The two groups were compared for incidence of complications, recurrence of massive ascites after hospital dismissal and survival rate.

John R. Lake, Teresa L. Wright – 1 April 1991

Jorge J. Gumucio, Adrian M. Di Bisceglie – 1 April 1991 – Fifty‐one patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma were treated by embolization of the hepatic artery with Gelfoam powder, contrast material and three chemotherapeutic agents (doxorubicin, mitomycin, cisplatin). Twelve patients (24%) had a partial response with a decrease in the tumor diameter by at least 50%, 13 patients (26%) had only minor responses, 12 (24%) had stabilization of disease and the remainder had progressive disease.

Satoru Todo, Anthony J. Demetris, David van Thiel, Lewis Teperman, John J. Fung, Thomas E. Starzl – 1 April 1991 – Fifty‐nine patients with prior hepatitis B virus infection underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. During the first 2 mo, mortality was not significantly different in the hepatitis B virus–infected group (25.5%) vs. a hepatitis B virus–immune control group (21%). Beyond 2 mo, the mortality, rate of graft loss, need for retransplantation and incidence of abnormal liver function were significantly higher in the hepatitis B virus–infected group.

Yun‐Fan Liaw, I‐Shyan Sheen, Tong‐Jong Chen, Chia‐Ming Chu, Chia‐C Pao – 1 April 1991 – To investigate the incidence, determinants and significance of delayed clearance of serum HBsAg in chronic hepatitis B virus infection, a prospective follow‐up study was conducted in two consecutive groups of patients. Group I consisted of 984 patients (859 men and 125 women) with biopsy‐proven chronic type B hepatitis, whereas group II consisted of 1,598 asymptomatic chronic carriers (998 men and 600 women) with normal serum aminotransferase activity.

Maria‐Christina Jung, Marietta Stemler, Thomas Weimer, Ulrich Spengler, Jutta Döhrmann, Robert Hoffmann, Dieter Eichenlaub, Josef Eisenburg, Gustav Paumgartner, Gert Riethmüller, Hans Will, Gerd R. Pape – 1 April 1991 – The hepatitis B virus genome encodes a transcriptional transactivator protein designated HBxAg. We have investigated whether this antigen is a target structure for human T‐lymphocytes.