Clinical analysis of 15 cases of liver nodular regenerative hyperplasia

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) of liver may be one of the leading causes of non-cirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension (NCIPH), although the exact relationship is currently unknown. Diagnosis of NRH is relatively difficult and involves surgical pathology, and thus it is necessary to improve the preoperative recognition of NRH. Here, we analyze 15 cases of NRH to better understand this disease. All the liver specimens were microscopically examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining and reticulin and Masson trichrome staining. Diagnoses of NRH were confirmed by pathological examination. Clinically, NRH presents as diffused liver lesions with mildly increased liver enzymes. Portal hypertension is the most common clinical manifestation presenting prominently as splenomegaly, hypersplenism, and esophageal varices bleeding. NRH is often associated with autoimmune or collagen vascular diseases, and such patients often present with a variety of positive autoantibodies and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Ig and γ %. Pathological examination of the liver showed diffuse small regenerative nodules without fibrous septa and obstructive portal venopathy. For those patients with portal hypertension of unknown cause and preserved liver function, especially, those combined with autoimmune diseases, NRH should be considered.