title: Histopathological features of L-asparaginase-induced liver disease.
abstract: We studied the histopathological changes of liver in four patients who developed hepatomegaly and abnormal liver chemistry tests 2 to 20 days following administration of L-asparaginase as a part of a combination chemotherapy regimen for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The severity of the liver disease due to L-asparaginase was unpredictable. One patient developed acute fulminant hepatic failure and required liver transplantation. The most consistent pathological change, observed in all four cases, was diffuse steatosis. Other changes included patchy hepatocyte necrosis, mixed inflammatory cell infiltrates in the portal tracts, and variable degrees of hepatocellular, or canalicular cholestasis, or a combination of these.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Sunati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahoo
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001215:Asparaginase / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D001215:Asparaginase