Histological study of steatosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in treatment-na hepatitis C virus-infected patients

O vÃrus da hepatite C (VHC) e a esteatose sÃo importantes causas de doenÃa hepÃtica crÃnica no mundo. Apesar de comum, a fisiopatologia da esteatose, e seu papel na progressÃo da fibrose em pacientes com VHC, permanece desconhecida. O objetivo deste trabalho foi quantificar esteatose macrovesicular e microvesicular e correlacionÃ-las com dados clÃnicos e histopatolÃgicos. O estudo analisou biÃpsias hepÃticas de pacientes portadores do VHC sem tratamento prÃvio. A fibrose e atividade necroinflamatÃria foram avaliadas segundo os escores de METAVIR e Ishak; as classificaÃÃes de Kleiner e Brunt foram utilizadas como suporte para o diagnÃstico de esteatohepatite realizado pelo patologista. Ademais, o nÃmero de hepatÃcitos com esteatose macrovesicular e esteatose microvesicular foram quantificados a partir do nÃmero total de hepatÃcitos. A fibrose e atividade necroinflamatÃria foram classificadas e semi-quantificadas. Foi encontrada associaÃÃo significante da fibrose avaliada pelo sistema de Ishak entre a esteatose macrogoticular e microgoticular (p= 0,017 e p= 0,0113, respectivamente). A atividade inflamatÃria global (classificaÃÃo Metavir ) apresentou correlaÃÃo linear com a piora da fibrose (< 0,001). A fibrose avaliada pelo sistema de Metavir se correlacionou com o IMC. A presenÃa de VHC associado à esteatohepatite apresentou correlaÃÃo significante com as mÃdias das AST/ALT, e com a fibrose de Ishak e Metavir, quando comparado aos dados dos pacientes com VHC, sem esteatohepatite (p = 0,006; p = 0,012; p = 0,0098 e p = 0,014, respectivamente). Em nosso trabalho, concluÃmos que a fibrose de Ishak esteve associado a esteatose macrogoticular e microgoticular. Igualmente, se demonstrou que a presenÃa da esteatohepatite esteve fortemente associado a fibrose.The hepatitis C virus (HCV) and steatosis are important causes of chronic hepatic disease in the world. Although common, the pathofisiology of steatosis and its role in the progression of fibrosis in patients with HCV is uncertain. Our objective was to quantify the macrovacuolar and microvesicular steatosis and to correlate them with clinical and histophatologic data. The study included needle biopsy of the liver of patients with HCV without previous treatment. The fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity of hepatic damage by HCV were evaluated by METAVIR and Ishakâs scores; Kleinerâs and Bruntâs classification were used as a support for diagnosis of the steatohepatitis by the pathologist. Furthermore, the number of hepatocytes with the macrovacuolar and microvesicular steatosis was quantified in a total number of hepatocytes. Fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity were categorized and semi quantified. A significant association of the fibrosis was found and it was evaluated by the Ishak system between the macrogoticular and the microgoticular steatosis (p=0,017 e p= 0,0113, respectively). The global inflammatory activity (Metavir classification) has presented a linear correlation with the worsening of the fibrosis (< 0,001). The fibrosis which was evaluated by the Metavir system has been correlated with the BMI. The presence of HCV associated with the steatohepatitis has presented a significant correlation with the average of AST/ALT and with the Ishak and Metavir fibrosis, when compared to the data of the patients with HCV, without steatohepatitis (p= 0,006; p= 0,012; p= 0,0098 and p= 0,014, respectively) In our research we conclude that the Ishak fibrosis has been associated with the macrogoticular and microgoticular steatosis. Equally, it was demonstrated that the presence of the steatohepatitis was strongly associated to the fibrosis