Premium
Hepatic Veno‐Occlusive Lesions in Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis and Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis: A Comparative Histopathological Study in Autopsy Cases
Author(s) -
Kishi Masaya,
Maeyama Shiro,
Ogata Seiichiro,
Koike Junki,
Uchikoshi Toshiyuki
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1999.tb04533.x
Subject(s) - medicine , alcoholic hepatitis , alcoholic liver disease , autopsy , cirrhosis , ascites , gastroenterology , pathology , hepatitis
Clinicopathological features of veno‐occlusive lesions in hepatic veins were studied in autopsy cases of severe alcoholic hepatitis (15 cases) and alcoholic liver cirrhosis (15 cases). All the cases were heavy drinkers and died of liver failure or variceal rupture. The frequency and degree of veno‐occlusive lesions, and the diameter and number of hepatic veins were studied from stained sections of liver blocks from each case. The hepatic veins observed ranged from 60 to 3000 μm in diameter. The veno‐occlusive lesions were found in hepatic veins mainly 60 to 1200 μm in diameter. These findings were recognized in the majority of severe alcoholic hepatitis cases and alcoholic liver cirrhosis cases. Furthermore, more severe veno‐occlusive lesions were noted in severe alcoholic hepatitis, compared with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. In the cases with obstruction in hepatic veins of <400 μm, a decrease in the number of hepatic veins and zonal necrosis were noted. In addition, some of the veno‐occlusive lesions were recognized focally in the same cases. Clinical findings also indicated that ascites increased with the progression of the veno‐occlusive lesions. We conclude that investigation of veno‐occlusive lesions in severe alcoholic liver disease has clinicopathological significance.