Is hepatic neoplasm-related pyogenic liver abscess a distinct clinical entity?

To compare the clinical characteristics of pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) in patients with and without hepatic neoplasm (HN).

Authors performed a retrospective analysis involving patients with PLA. The demographic, clinical features, laboratory and imaging findings, management and outcome of patients with and without HN were studied.

From January 2000 to December 2009 inclusive, 318 patients (35 with HN) had PLA, and mean age and comorbidity were comparable between the two groups. More patients with HN experienced right upper quadrant pain (68.6% vs. 52.7%, P < 0.04), developed jaundice (14.3% vs. 5.7%, P < 0.03) and hepatomegaly (17.1% vs. 3.9%, P < 0.01), and had higher serum total bilirubin level (43.3 μmol/L vs. 30.0 μmol/L, P = 0.05). Most patients in both groups had PLAs in the right hepatic lobe, and biliary tract disorder was the most common underlying cause (71.4% and 61.8%). However, more PLAs in the HN group were associated with thicker abscess wall (37.1% vs. 19.4%, P < 0.01), septal lobulation (77.1% vs. 58%, P < 0.02), gaseous cavitation (17% vs. 7.8%, P = 0.03), portal thrombophlebitis (11.4% vs. 1.8%, P < 0.01) and aerobilia (25.9% vs. 5.5%, P < 0.01). Mixed bacterial growth (40% vs. 15.2%, P < 0.01) and Gram-negative bacilli (22.8% vs. 60.4%, P < 0.01) were dominant isolates in PLAs with and without HN, respectively. Although incidence of the complications was comparable between the two groups, patients with HN had a higher mortality rate than those without (71.4% vs. 8.8%, P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed underlying active malignancy [odds ratio (OR): 40.45, 95% CI: 14.76-111.65], hypoalbuminemia (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.14-1.38), disseminated intravascular coagulation (OR: 3.32, 95% CI: 1.19-9.69) and acute coronary syndrome (OR: 4.48, 95% CI: 1.08-17.8) were independent risk factors associated with mortality. However, several HN cases, presented concurrently with PLAs, were found to have curative resectable tumors and had good prognosis after surgery.

PLA associated with HN tends to form a distinct clinical syndrome with a different extent of clinical manifestations, radiological and microbiological features and complications.