A STUDY OF THE HISTOPATHOLOGICAL LESIONS OF LIVER IN DIALYSIS PATIENTS AND RENAL TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

The liver is one of the vital organs. It carries out various important functions needed for sustenance of life, namely synthesis of various compounds and coagulation factors. In addition, it has an important role in the breakdown of toxic substances. Pathological damage to the liver may occur following external or internal causes that result in changes in serum factors, or following an infectious agent. Patients suffering from chronic renal failure (CRF) and are on renal dialysis are at increased risk of contact with various infectious agents. On the other hand, since they can not remove the serum waste products properly, different organs such as the liver are subjected to development of various lesions. Hence it is considered necessary to study the histopathological changes in CRF patients. This study was carried out over a period of 5 years in Gholestan hospital, Ahwaz. The data were collected from patients files among those who were on dialysis or who had undergone kidney transplantation and had a biopsy examinatic of the liver. All the patients were also tested serologically for anti-HCV and liver enzyme tests.From 274 liver biopsies, 18.61% were patients with a history CRF and various inflammatory conditions of liver. Amongst this number 11.68% had chronic hepatitis. Liver enzymes showed higher than normal values. Histopathologic study, using light microscopy, of liver biopsy showed scattered leucocytes in the portal area, some showing ballooning type degenerative changes. Necrosis and fibrosis were not clearly seen but in a minor percentage of patients, piecmeal necrosis was seen in some hepatocytes in peripheral areas of the lobules. The results of this study showed that 1.96% of transplant patients and 7.84% of dialyzed patients had suffered from chronic hepatitis, which is approximately four times of transplant recepients. It is therefore recommended that petients suffering from CRF be transplauted as earlier as possible.