Histology of Liver of the Deceased Due to Harmful Use of Alcohol

Abstract

Abstract Aim To study types and incidence of histological changes in liver of people deceased due to harmful use of alcohol. Methods A retrospective review of medico-legal autopsy of 236 adults who died in the years 2015–2016 due to harmful use of alcohol was done. Histopathological liver samples taken during autopsies were evaluated. Blood alcohol content was analyzed. Serological tests for hepatitis B surface antigen and anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) were performed. Results The most common liver pathology (83.1%) was steatosis, mainly mixed type (50%); 66.9% had high-grade steatosis. Liver fibrosis was detected in 39.4% of cases, with fibrosis of higher than or equal to third grade in 14%, hepatitis in 44.5% and steatohepatitis in 19.1%. Toxic hepatocyte injury features (ballooning degeneration, Mallory–Denk bodies) were found in 20.8% cases and degenerative-damage changes in 41.1%. The correlation between the grade of steatosis and fibrosis (P = 0.0005), toxic injury (0.00000101) and degenerative–traumatic changes (P = 0.00000741) was found. The correlation was found between hepatitis and higher than or equal to third grade steatosis (P = 0.037), cholestasis (P = 0.0139), toxic injury features (P = 2.58 × 10−13), degenerative–damage changes (P = 7.9 × 10−12) and presence of anti-HCV (P = 0.00723) and between progression of fibrosis and presence of toxic injury features (2.28 × 10−19), degenerative–damage changes (P = 4.25 × 10−11) and anti-HCV (P = 0.0263). Conclusions Spectrum of histopathological liver changes is broad regardless of sex, and various traits are present in various patterns. Comorbidities have strong influence on the picture of changes in the liver. Exact evaluation how often and what histopathological changes will develop in alcohol liver disease is not possible by reason of variability of external factors.