Histomorphological features of pancreas and liver in chronic alcoholics--an analytical study in 390 autopsy cases

Chronic pancreatitis and liver disease are two conditions that commonly co-exist in chronic alcoholics with variable incidences.

To evaluate frequency pancreatitis in patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse.

A total of 390 autopsies over 11 year's period were included in the study. Gross and microscopic assessment of liver and pancreas were performed. Available clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded.

Age ranged from 22 to 65 years with a mean age of 45.32 years. All 390 consecutive patients included in the study were males. Majority of the patients had primarily presented with alcohol related liver diseases whereas few had presented with features of pancreatitis. Micronodular cirrhosis was present in 292 cases. Features of chronic pancreatitis were observed in 42 cases and 8 of these cases had associated changes of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis. Prevalence of pancreatitis was more in cirrhotics as compared to non-cirrhotics, and acute pancreatitis was mostly seen in non-cirrhotics. Dominant pattern of fibrosis was perilobular followed by periductal, intralobular and diffuse.

Chronic pancreatitis as evidence by the presence of parenchymal fibrosis was more frequently observed in alcoholic cirrhosis cases than that in non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver disease, thereby suggesting common underlying pathobiology in the development of fibrosis in liver as well as in pancreas.