Zois CD, Baltayiannis GH, Bekiari A, Goussia A, Karayiannis P, Doukas M, Demopoulos D, Mitsellou A, Vougiouklakis T, Mitsi V, Tsianos EV. Steatosis and steatohepatitis in postmortem material from Northwestern Greece. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16(31): 3944-3949 [PMID: 20712056 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i31.3944]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Epameinondas V Tsianos, MD, PhD, AGAF, Professor of Internal Medicine, 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Leoforos Panepistimiou, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. etsianos@cc.uoi.gr
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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2010; 16(31): 3944-3949 Published online Aug 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i31.3944
Steatosis and steatohepatitis in postmortem material from Northwestern Greece
Christos D Zois, Gerasimos H Baltayiannis, Anna Bekiari, Anna Goussia, Peter Karayiannis, Michalis Doukas, Demetrios Demopoulos, Antigoni Mitsellou, Theodoros Vougiouklakis, Vasiliki Mitsi, Epameinondas V Tsianos
Christos D Zois, Gerasimos H Baltayiannis, Anna Bekiari, Demetrios Demopoulos, Epameinondas V Tsianos, 1st Department of Internal Medicine and Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, Medical School, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Anna Goussia, Michalis Doukas, Vasiliki Mitsi, Laboratory of Pathology, Medical School, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece
Peter Karayiannis, Department of Medicine, Hepatology Section, Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, Variety Wing Floor D, St. Mary’s Campus Norfolk Place London W2 1PG, London, United Kingdom
Antigoni Mitsellou, Theodoros Vougiouklakis, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece
Author contributions: Zois CD wrote the paper; Baltayiannis GH designed the research; Bekiari A performed the research; Karayiannis P contributed to the writing of the paper; Goussia A, Doukas M and Mitsi V performed the research (assessment of liver specimens); Demopoulos D analyzed the data; Mitsellou A and Vougiouklakis T performed the research (isolation of liver specimens); Tsianos EV designed and conducted the research and wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Epameinondas V Tsianos, MD, PhD, AGAF, Professor of Internal Medicine, 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Leoforos Panepistimiou, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. etsianos@cc.uoi.gr
Telephone: +30-26510-007501 Fax: +30-26510-007016
Received: December 21, 2009 Revised: January 26, 2010 Accepted: February 2, 2010 Published online: August 21, 2010
Abstract
AIM: To determine the prevalence of steatosis and steatohepatitis in a series of autopsies in Northwestern Greece.
METHODS: Liver biopsy material from a total of 600 autopsies performed over a period of 2 years (2006-2008) to define the cause of death was subjected to histological examination. Patient demographic data were also collected. Tissue sections were stained with different dyes for the evaluation of liver architecture, degree of fibrosis and other pathological conditions when necessary.
RESULTS: Satisfactory tissue samples for histological evaluation were available in 498 cases (341 male, 157 female) with a mean age of 64.51 ± 17.78 years. In total, 144 (28.9%) had normal liver histology, 156 (31.3%) had evidence of steatosis, and 198 (39.8%) had typical histological findings of steatohepatitis. The most common causes of death were ischemic heart disease with or without myocardial infarction (43.4%), and traffic accidents (13.4%).
CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of steatosis and steatohepatitis was detected in postmortem biopsies from Northwestern Greece. Since both diseases can have serious clinical consequences, they should be considered as an important threat to the health of the general population in Greece.
