- Title
- The spectrum of alcohol related hepatic injury in previously healthy road traffic accident victims
- Creator
- Bhagwandeen, S. B.; Apte, M.; Banathy, L. J.
- Relation
- 28th Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Abstracts of Papers Presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia [presented in Pathology, Vol. 16, No. 8] (Melbourne, Vic. October, 1983) p. 478
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0031-3025(16)38006-0
- Publisher
- Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia
- Resource Type
- conference paper
- Date
- 1984
- Description
- Fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and portal cirrhosis are recognized alcohol related hepatic lesions. Fatty infiltration is reversible, while alcoholic hepatitis is generally recognized as the precursor lesion leading to cirrhosis. The natural history and progression of alcoholic liver disease is, however, still not clear. It is generally agreed that histopathological changes are the most objective measure of liver injury. There are numerous studies in known chronic alcoholics to determine the degree and extent of hepatic damage and there is one study in non-alcoholic volunteers which revealed rapid fat infiltration when fed a high alcohol diet. There is, however, little information on the hepatic changes in a normal "at risk population". An "at risk population" may be defined as one of social drinkers. Road traffic accident victims could fit this definition of an "at risk population". This study was to examine the liver for alcohol related damage in an "at risk population". Specimens of liver were obtained from 65 consecutive coroners' autopsies on road traffic accident victims in the age group 15-65. Except for 2 cases with cirrhosis (see below) all cases would have been regarded as normal healthy adults. The blood alcohol level done on those who died within 12 hours of the accident (53 cases), was raised in 33 (62%). Hepatic changes which could be related 10 alcohol intake were present in 43/65 cases (60%). Of these, 39/43 (91%) had fatty infiltration, 2 alcohol hepatitis and 2 portal cirrhosis. Fatty infiltration was mild in 27/39 (70%), moderately severe in 9 and severe in 3 cases. Of those with a positive blood alcohol (33 cases), 79% had liver lesions. Liver lesions were present in 53% of those either with a negative blood alcohol level or in whom blood alcohol was not available. There were 2 cases of cirrhosis (ages 45 and 50). These findings reveal that alcohol related hepatic damage is common in an "at risk population" of social drinkers. The changes are, however, mild in the younger age group (77% <36 yrs). Histopathological features will be presented and discussed.
- Subject
- cirrhosis; social drinking; road accidents; alcoholic liver disease
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1397101
- Identifier
- uon:34187
- Identifier
- ISSN:1465-3931
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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