Liver Disease with Periportal Sinusoidal Dilatation

Abstract

Winkler, K. & Poulsen, H. Liver disease with periportal sinusoidal dilatation. A possible complication to contraceptive steroids. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1975, 10, 699-704.

Four women of fertile age on long-term treatment with contraceptive steroids developed moderate liver damage and hepatomegaly. The liver histology showed a conspicuous periportal sinusoidal dilatation as the only abnorm-ality. The clinical course of the liver damage was benign. The aetiology and pathogenic mechanisms of these changes, which were localized pre-dominantly to Rappaport’s Zone I, are unknown. Haemodynamic studies revealed no abnormalities. The connection to possible long-term action of oestrogens and gestagens on the liver, and the relation to peliosis and benign hepatic adenomas, are discussed.

Key-words::

• Contraceptive steroids
• hepato-toxicity
• peliosis
• periportal sinusoidal dilatation
• Rappaport’s Zones