Goel, A;
Christudoss, P;
George, R;
Ramakrishna, B;
Amirtharaj, GJ;
Keshava, SN;
Ramachandran, A;
... Eapen, CE; + view all
(2016)
Arsenicosis, possibly from contaminated groundwater, associated with noncirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension.
Indian J Gastroenterol
, 35
(3)
pp. 207-215.
10.1007/s12664-016-0660-1.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Idiopathic noncirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension (NCIPH), a chronic microangiopathy of the liver caused by arsenicosis from use of contaminated groundwater, was reported from Asia. This study aimed to see, if in the twenty-first century, arsenicosis was present in NCIPH patients at our hospital and, if present, to look for groundwater contamination by arsenic in their residential locality. METHODS: Twenty-seven liver biopsy proven NCIPH patients, 25 portal hypertensive controls with hepatitis B or C related cirrhosis and 25 healthy controls, matched for residential locality, were studied. Eighty-four percent to 96 % of study subjects belonged to middle or lower socioeconomic category. Arsenicosis was looked for by estimation of arsenic levels in finger/toe nails and by skin examination. Arsenic levels in nails and in ground water (in NCIPH patients with arsenicosis) was estimated by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Nail arsenic levels were raised in five (10 %) portal hypertensive study subjects [two NCIPH patients (both had skin arsenicosis) and three portal hypertensive controls]. All of these five patients were residents of West Bengal or Bangladesh. Skin arsenicosis was noted in three NCIPH patients (11 %) compared to none of disease/healthy controls. Ground water from residential locality of one NCIPH patient with arsenicosis (from Bangladesh) showed extremely high level of arsenic (79.5 μg/L). CONCLUSIONS: Arsenicosis and microangiopathy of liver, possibly caused by environmental contamination continues in parts of Asia. Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms of such 'poverty-linked thrombophilia'.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Arsenicosis, possibly from contaminated groundwater, associated with noncirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension. |
| Location: | India |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s12664-016-0660-1 |
| Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12664-016-0660-1 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12664-016-0660-1. |
| Keywords: | Endothelial activation, Liver, Microangiopathy, Noncirrhotic portal fibrosis |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Cancer Institute UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > Cancer Institute > Research Department of Haematology |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1498489 |
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