Histopathological characteristics of liver biopsy performed at different time points in drug-induced liver injury
Yu Wang1, Zikun Ma1, Tiantian Guo1, Jimin Liu2, Min Li3 and Xinyan Zhao1
1Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, 2Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and 3Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence-Based Medicine Unit, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
Corresponding Author: Xinyan Zhao, M.D., Ph.D:, Liver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. e-mail: zhao_xinyan@ccmu.edu.cn
Summary. Background and Aims. Liver biopsy can provide critical information in patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Our study aimed to compare the histopathological features of DILI at different time points from the onset to liver biopsy.
Methods: We conducted a single-centre retrospective observational study. The clinical and follow-up data were extracted, and the pathological slides were reviewed.
Results. 129 patients were included. The median age was 52 and 75% were women. They were divided into <1 month, 1-3 months, and >3 months groups according to the durations from onset of the disorder to liver biopsy. The aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin levels showed no significant differences at onset but significantly decreased with time among the three groups (all p<0.05) at the time of liver biopsy. Histological injury patterns were significantly different among the three groups (p<0.01). Hepatocellular, canalicular, and cholestasis of Kupffer cells were significantly less frequent in the >3 months group (p<0.01). For patients taking herbs, bridging necrosis and cholestatic injury were significantly more frequent in the <1 month group (p<0.01). Furthermore, ductopenia, cholate stasis, and foam-like cells were equally distributed in the three groups but were significantly associated with poor prognosis.
Conclusions. Biopsy time significantly affects liver pathology: the earlier, the more acute cholestatic-hepatitic pattern, the later, the more chronic injury patterns. The prognostic features (ductopenia, cholate stasis, and foam-like cells) occurred equally in all three groups. Our study provides valuable information for liver pathologists aiding in their better interpretation of the liver biopsy from patients with DILI. Histol Histopathol 39, 79-90 (2024)
Key words: Pathology, Histopathology, Timing, Outcome
DOI: 10.14670/HH-18-614
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ŠThe Author(s) 2024. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons CC-BY International License. |
