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Liver Disease Associated with Chronic Arsenic Ingestion
Author(s) -
Cowlishaw J. L.,
Pollard E. J.,
Cowen A. E.,
Powell L. W.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1979.tb04146.x
Subject(s) - medicine , chronic liver disease , cirrhosis , ingestion , gastroenterology , liver disease , disease , pathology
Summary: The association of chronic liver disease with long‐standing arsenic ingestion is well documented, although the spectrum and incidence of liver disease due to arsenic remain uncertain. We report two patients with chronic liver disease and arsenical skin changes that followed previous chronic arsenic ingestion. One patient developed macronodular cirrhosis and the other non‐cirrhotic portal hypertension with perisinusoidal fibrosis. The latter patient developed a primary liver cell cancer. There is only one previously reported case of malignant hepatoma in a non‐cirrhotic liver complicating chronic arsenicism. Lack of awareness of this uncommon but well described cause of chronic liver disease may account for a small proportion of patients with “cryptogenic” liver disease. Previous arsenic administration should be considered as a cause of chronic liver disease, especially when typical skin changes or internal neoplasia develop.