Duration dependent effect of intravenous heroin intake on morphological changes in the liver

Abstract

Intravenous heroin intake leads to significant morphological changes in the liver tissue (vesicular changes, fatty changes, chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis). The intensity of these changes increases with the duration of heroin use. Direct hepatotoxic effects of heroin are vesicular changes in hepatocytes, fatty changes are the result of chronic influence of alcohol, whereas the rest of the morphological liver lesions are the result of the interaction of heroin, viral infection and alcohol. In the present study, we analyzed a total of 50 autopsies, 40 from the group of intravenous heroin users and 10 from the control group (dead bodies of young and healthy people with mechanical injuries that did not affect the liver). For ease of analysis, all autopsy cases of intravenous heroin abuse were divided into 4 groups according to the duration of intravenous heroin intake: up to 2 years, between 2 and 5 years, between 5 and 10 years, and longer than 10 years.

HCV AND DRUG ABUSERS – morphological changes (Liver biopsy in CHC and heroin abuse)

“…The literature data for the morphological changes and severity of liver damage in HA patients with CHC on liver biopsies are scanty. In contrast, in several studies the light microscopic and ultrastructural changes in liver autopsy samples of intravenous heroin addicts have been reported (18)(19)(20)(21)(22). The authors summarized that heroin abuse induces significant morphologic changes in the liver tissue, including vesicular and fatty changes, reduction in the amount of glycogen in hepatocytes, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and the severity of these changes increases with years of heroin abuse.…”

“…The heroin addicted subjects are the main risk group for infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). In literature various pathological changes in the livers of heroin abusers have been reported (18)(19)(20)(21)(22). They included quantitative and qualitative alterations of cellular organelles, extracellular matrix and hepatic vascular system like vacuole and fatty degeneration, changes in the cellular nucleus, membranes or intracellular content of glycogen, inflammation, fibrosis/cirrhosis, dysplasia, amyloidosis.…”