Studies on risk factors for liver fibrosis of schistosomiasis japonica

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors for schistosomal liver fibrosis. METHODS: 192 hepatitis-negative patients with schistosomiasis were selected and divided into 3 groups according to the result of B ultrasound examination, that is, grade 2 and 3 fibrosis group(81 patients), grade 1 fibrosis group (61 patients) and control group (non-fibrosis, 50 patiets). The univariate and multivariate ordinal regression model was made to analyse the possibly harmful factors influencing the liver damages of these patients. RESULTS: Four factors were found to be positively associated with schistosomal liver fibrosis. They were: number of treatments of schistosomiasis (OR = 1.75), interval of schistosomal infection(OR = 1.40), history of drinking wine (OR = 1.95) and familial history of advanced schistosomiasis (OR = 2.11). CONCLUSION: Patients with repeated schistosome infection, long duration of schistosomal infection, long history of drinking and familial history of advanced schistosomiasis had higher risk for liver fibrosis than schistosomiasis patients without these factors.