LIVER-BIOPSY FINDINGS IN 501 PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS (HIV)

Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk for a variety of liver diseases. We undertook a retrospective study of 501 HIV-seropositive patients to assess the yield of percutaneous liv er biopsy. The most common indications for liver biopsy were liver tes t abnormalities (89.5%), fever for 2 weeks (71.9%), and hepatomegaly ( 52.0%). The most common biopsy-derived diagnosis was Mycobacterium avi um complex (MAC), seen in 87 (17.4%) biopsies. Mycobacterium tuberculo sis was found in 13 biopsies (2.6%). In 28 biopsies (5.6%) mycobacteri a was seen, but speciation of the organism was not possible. Chronic a ctive viral hepatitis was seen in 60 biopsies (12.0%). Opportunistic h epatic infection from other organisms was found in 14 biopsies (2.8%). The most common neoplasm was lymphoma, which was seen in 12 biopsies (2.4%). MAC infection of the liver was associated with elevated alkali ne phosphatase (p = 0.01). Among patients with fever for 2 weeks after an extensive negative workup including bone marrow biopsy, 58.2% had a diagnosis by liver biopsy. Overall, 64.3% of liver biopsies yielded a histopathological diagnosis, 45.7% of which were potentially treatab le. We could not evaluate whether liver biopsy had a positive effect o n patient outcome and survival, nor did we attempt to prove that liver biopsy resulted in a change in treatment or a change in preprocedure clinical diagnosis. Thus, questions about the efficacy of liver biopsy cannot be answered. Liver biopsy may be a helpful diagnostic tool in HIV-positive patients with fever, liver test abnormalities, or hepatom egaly.