title: Steatosis and steatohepatitis in postmortem material from Northwestern Greece.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of steatosis and steatohepatitis in a series of autopsies in Northwestern Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver biopsy material from a total of 600 autopsies performed over a period of 2 years (2006-2008) to define the cause of death was subjected to histological examination. Patient demographic data were also collected. Tissue sections were stained with different dyes for the evaluation of liver architecture, degree of fibrosis and other pathological conditions when necessary.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Satisfactory tissue samples for histological evaluation were available in 498 cases (341 male, 157 female) with a mean age of 64.51 +/- 17.78 years. In total, 144 (28.9%) had normal liver histology, 156 (31.3%) had evidence of steatosis, and 198 (39.8%) had typical histological findings of steatohepatitis. The most common causes of death were ischemic heart disease with or without myocardial infarction (43.4%), and traffic accidents (13.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of steatosis and steatohepatitis was detected in postmortem biopsies from Northwestern Greece. Since both diseases can have serious clinical consequences, they should be considered as an important threat to the health of the general population in Greece.
authors: 1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Leoforos Panepistimiou, Ioannina, Greece.
authors: Christos-D
authors: CD
authors: Zois
authors: Gerasimos-H
authors: GH
authors: Baltayiannis
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Bekiari
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Goussia
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Karayiannis
authors: Michalis
authors: M
authors: Doukas
authors: Demetrios
authors: D
authors: Demopoulos
authors: Antigoni
authors: A
authors: Mitsellou
authors: Theodoros
authors: T
authors: Vougiouklakis
authors: Vasiliki
authors: V
authors: Mitsi
authors: Epameinondas-V
authors: EV
authors: Tsianos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001344:Autopsy; D001706:Biopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index