FOCAL HEPATOCELLULAR NECROSIS AND PORTAL LYMPHOCYTIC INFILTRATION OF THE LIVER IN CHRONIC-ALCOHOLICS - HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF 40 LIVER BIOPSIES

Forty liver biopsies of hepatitis B surface antigen negative chronic a lcoholics were histologically studied to assess the influence of hepat itis C virus (HCV)-infection. A moderate degree of focal hepatocellula r necrosis and/or portal lymphocytic infiltration (FHN-PLI) was observ ed in 28% of the specimens, being especially prevalent in advanced cas es of fibrosis and cirrhosis, and significantly correlated with HCV-in fection. Eleven of these cases were examined in detail: HCV-infection was detected in eight and lymphocytic infiltration was apparent in the portal area, accompanied by formation of lymph follicles. The FHN-PLI was ascribed to alcoholic hepatitis in two HCV-negative cases and was concluded to be of unknown etiology in the remaining one HCV-negative case. This study thus indicated that over two-thirds of cases of chro nic hepatitis in alcoholics can be attributed to HCV-infection, with t he remainder being at least partly related to alcoholic hepatitis. The prevalence of alcohol-induced chronic hepatitis based on immunopathol ogical findings was unclear, but was probably less frequent than previ ously reported.