Histologic and electron-microscopic liver changes in diabetic children

The results of 99 histologically examined liver biopsy samples--14 of them also examined under the electron microscope--taken from 68 insulin-treated diabetic children of both sexes at an age from 2-14 years. most of them with long-standing diabetes, are presented, thus giving a survey of morphologic liver findings of diabetes mellitus in this age group. Apart from metabolic changes, such as amount of fat and glycogen storage--including the nuclear glycogen of the liver--secondary diseases of inflammatory nature were found to play a prominent role in one third of the children. There are definite correlations with the degree of metabolic decompensation, demanding preventive and therapeutic measures.