Histological changes of thyroid tissues in patients with liver cirrhosis

Alterations in thyroid hormone regulation and metabolism, such as low serum T3 and T4 with normal TSH, are frequently noted in liver cirrhosis, but few morphological studies have ever been done on thyroid tissue in liver cirrhosis. In this study we analyzed the histological changes of thyroid tissue in the patients with liver cirrhosis. Specimens of thyroid gland obtained from autopsies in 16 cirrhotic patients were examined, and compared with those of two control groups. Control group I consisted of 7 patients with diabetes mellitus and control group II, 12 patients who died from sudden onset of cardiovascular problems. We measured follicular diameter and epithelial width on light micrographs of the central portion of thyroid specimens. We graded the degree of colloid vacuole, lipofuscin deposition in follicular epithelia, regenerative reaction and perivascular fibrosis in 10 consecutive light microscopic fields of the specimen. In the cirrhotic group, mean follicular diameter and epithelial width were significantly shorter and thinner, respectively, than those in the two control groups. Perivascular fibrosis was more prominent in the cirrhosis group than in the controls. These findings suggest that thyroid glands in patients with liver cirrhosis have the characteristic features of hypoactivity.