NON - ALCOHOLIC STEATOHEPATITIS IN 26 IRANIAN PATIENTS: CLINICAL, LABORATORY AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS

The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical and laboratory findings among a series of patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The clinical, biochemical features of 26 patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, observed for 4 to 44 mo (mean 15.2 mo) were analyzed. Eleven of the patients (42.3%) were women and the rest were men (57.7%). Mean age was 40.12  11.4 (range 17-67). Two of the 4 obese patients (BMI 30) were men (15.4%) and the only morbid obese patient (BMI 40) was a women. Totally thirteen patients were over weight (40 BMI<30) 6 of whom were women. Thirteen patients (6 men and 7 women) had BMI within the range of 25 to 30. Eight patients (6 men and 2 women) had normal weight. Twelve patients (46.2%) had hyperlipidemia, while only 2 had the past consumption history of drug-induced NASH (7.7%). Initially 10 patients were asymptomatic, another 10 had non-specific symptoms (totally 80.8%) and 5 patients had the symptoms related to NASH. Only 1 patient progressed to cirrhosis and 5 showed fibrosis in their liver biopsy. The finding of this study suggests that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis can be a progressive liver disease. Furthermore, it suggests that this disease should not be considered a disease predominantly seen in an obese women with diabetes mellitus.