Histopathological study of liver diseases at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria (1989-2000)

Abstract

Objective: We present a retrospective histopathological study of 345 liver biopsies over a 12-year period. The study sought to record the frequencies of the range of histopathological changes observed in liver biopsy specimens.

Materials and methods: the materials consisted of slides and paraffin embedded blocks of all liver biopsy specimens received from within and outside the hospital. The clinical data such as the age, sex, and clinical summary were extracted from the request forms.

Results: there were 222 males and 123 females; M: F=1.8:1; peak age incidence of 41-50 years. The three common histopathological diagnoses were hepatocellular carcinoma-33%, chronic hepatitis-17.7%, and liver cirrhosis-17.7%. Thirty per cent of hepatocellular carcinoma was post-cirrhotic. The peak age incidence of chronic hepatitis precedes that of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma by one decade.

Conclusion: the common forms of liver disease diagnosed histologically are hepatocellular carcinoma, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. The age and sex distribution are similar to those already established in the African literature.