Physiological hepatic nuclear vacuolation--how long does it persist?
OBJECTIVE
Nuclear vacuolation/glycogenation is a characteristic histological feature of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that can help distinguish it from alcohol-induced liver disease. There are, however, other associations of nuclear vacuolation of which the commonest is as a normal feature of childhood. The aim of this study was to identify how long this physiological nuclear vacuolation persists.


RESULTS
Liver biopsy specimens from 872 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection (a condition known not to be associated with nuclear vacuolation) were studied to assess the frequency of nuclear vacuolation at different ages. All the patients studied had a body mass index of <25 kg/m(2) and an alcohol intake of <15 units/week, as well as no other risk factors for liver disease. It was found that the frequency of nuclear vacuolation, in the absence of NAFLD, fell from 13% at age 20-24 years to 4% in the early 30s and to 0% at age 60-64 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Physiological hepatic nuclear vacuolation is common in the 20s and persists into the 30s. This knowledge can help in the assessment of liver biopsy specimens in which nuclear vacuolation is a feature.
Levene
Adam P
AP
Department of Histopathology, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine at St Mary's Hospital, London, UK.
Goldin
Robert D
RD
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D001706:Biopsy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D008112:Liver Glycogen