Hepatic granulomas: a 6-year experience in a single center in Greece

• DOI: 10.1097/01.meg.0000243882.09820.d2
• Publication Date: 2007-02-02T16:52:25Z
• Authors: Spyros P. Dourakis; Ruxandra Saramadou; Alexandra Alexopo...; Georgia Kafiri; Melanie Deutsch; John Koskinas; Athanasios J. Arc...
• Keywords: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis; Etiology; Autoimmune Hepatitis; Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis; Viral Hepatitis

Background Hepatic granulomas have been reported in 2–15% of unselected liver biopsies, with a wide clinical profile responsible for their presence. To date, no series concerning the prevalence and etiology from Greece has reported. Objectives evaluate hepatic to investigate whether there an alteration distribution diagnoses our compared those published so far literature. Study The results biopsy specimens performed Department Medicine, between 1999 2004, were retrospectively reviewed cases revealing had medical notes biopsies recorded. Results Over study period, 1768 performed. identified 66 (3.7%). Of those, 51 female mean age 57 years (range 34–74 years) 15 male 42 18–78 years). Autoimmune diseases including primary biliary cirrhosis, overlap syndrome autoimmune hepatitis accounted majority (68%), followed by sarcoidosis (7.5%), chronic B virus C infection idiopathic (6%), drugs (3%) other miscellaneous causes (7.5%). Conclusions Our showed that diseases, mainly cirrhosis was most common cause granuloma formation, finding rather similar stated studies Western countries. A small number Chronic viral rates equal, possibly reflecting fairly high proportion sample.