EVALUATION OF LIVER FIBROSIS IN LIVER BIOPSY OF ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE CASES, WITH RETICULIN STAIN AND CD31 IMMUNOSTAIN

Background: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) remains a major cause of morbidity and  mortality world - wide.  Liver biopsy is the gold standard method to assess the presence of liver fibrosis , and is useful in determining the staging and severity of hepatic injury. To interpret Liver fibrosis in liver biopsies, Reticulin stain, and CD31,an immunohistochemical marker, which plays an important role in determining the degree of fibrosis in Alcoholic liver disease, were used in the evaluation of it.

Methods:   50 Alcoholic Liver Disease patients, were evaluated for Liver fibrosis, with H&E stain and Reticulin stain, and were correlated with the staging of Liver fibrosis with CD 31 immunostaining expression by statistical analysis.

Results: Strong positive correlation with CD31 and Reticulin staining was seen among 34 cases (68%), moderate positive correlation in 8 cases (16%), mild positive correlation in 2 cases (4%), negative correlation in 6 cases (12%).

Conclusion: The existence of strong correlation, between CD31 immunostaining and fibrosis seen with Reticulin stain, revealed that the immunohistochemical methods are very much applicable in assessing prognostic and therapeutic strategies.