Abstract
Background A 45-year-old white female was admitted to hospital with a 1-week history of right upper quadrant abdominal pain, progressive tiredness and jaundice. Physical examination confirmed jaundice and revealed mild epigastric tenderness. Laboratory test results revealed an extremely elevated alanine aminotransferase concentration, a high bilirubin concentration, the presence of HCV RNA, and a significantly elevated antinuclear antibody titer.
Investigations History and physical examination, laboratory investigations (including complete blood counts, liver function tests, electrolyte analysis, serological and genetic tests), Doppler ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen, and liver biopsy.
Diagnosis Acute infection with HCV genotype 1a.
Management Supportive care, which included monitoring vital signs and laboratory test results, and management of acute symptoms.
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Acknowledgements
Désirée Lie, University of California, Irvine, CA, is the author of and is solely responsible for the content of the learning objectives, questions and answers of the Medscape-accredited continuing medical education activity associated with this article.
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Tsuang, W., Subramanian, R., Liu, Q. et al. The need for liver biopsy in a patient with acute HCV infection. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 5, 54–57 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpgasthep1030
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncpgasthep1030
