Correlations between histopathological diagnosis of chemotherapy-induced hepatic injury, clinical features, and perioperative morbidity

Background

Chemotherapy has in some series been linked with increased morbidity after a hepatectomy. Hepatic injuries may result from the treatment with chemotherapy, but can also be secondary to co-morbid diseases. The aim of the present study was to draw correlations between clinical features, treatment with chemotherapy and injury phenotypes and assess the impact of each upon perioperative morbidity.

Patients and methods

Retrospective samples (n = 232) were scored grading steatosis, steatohepatitis and sinusoidal injury (SI). Clinical data were retrieved from medical records. Correlations were drawn between injury, clinical features and perioperative morbidity.

Results

Injury rates were 18%, 4% and 19% for steatosis, steatohepatitis and SI, respectively. High-grade steatosis was more common in patients with diabetes [odds ratio (OR) = 3.33, P = 0.01] and patients with a higher weight (OR/kg = 1.04, P = 0.02). Steatohepatitis was increased with metabolic syndrome (OR = 5.88, P = 0.02). Chemotherapy overall demonstrated a trend towards an approximately doubled risk of high-grade steatosis and steatohepatitis although not affecting SI. However, pre-operative chemotherapy was associated with an increased SI (OR = 2.18, P = 0.05). Operative morbidity was not increased with chemotherapy, but was increased with steatosis (OR = 2.38, P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Diabetes and higher weight significantly increased the risk of steatosis, whereas metabolic syndrome significantly increased risk of steatohepatitis. The presence of high-grade steatosis increases perioperative morbidity, not administration of chemotherapy per se.