title: Structural hepatic changes associated with cyanamide treatment: cholangiolar proliferation, fibrosis and cirrhosis.
abstract: The authors present the clinical and histological findings in a series of 42 liver biopsies from 39 chronic alcoholics treated with cyanamide as aversion therapy. All biopsies displayed characteristic cytoplasmic inclusions in the liver-cells. Fibrosis and disruption of the parenchymal-connective tissue interface were observed in all cases. According to the severity and extension of fibrosis, three stages could be depicted: Stage I. Periportal activity cholangiolar type (ACT), which is defined by cholangiolar proliferation, fibroblastic activation and inflammatory infiltrate, which together cause a blurred appearance of the parenchymal-connective tissue junction. It is the elementary lesion and was observed alone in 26 biopsies. Stage II. Portal-to-portal linkage. It was observed in 10 biopsies, all of which also showed periportal ACT. Three of these came from patients with two biopsies in which transition from stage I (first biopsy) to stage II (second biopsy) was observed. Stage III. Nodular parenchymal regeneration, associated with changes observed in stage I and II. It was found in six patients. The histological picture resembles the biliary type of cirrhosis. There is a clear-cut correlation between the length of treatment and the stage of the hepatic lesion.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003484:Cyanamide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003486:Cyanides / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003486:Cyanides; D003484:Cyanamide