Fatal methanol poisoning: features of liver histopathology

Toxicol Ind Health. 2013 Mar;29(2):136-41. doi: 10.1177/0748233711427050. Epub 2011 Nov 14.

Abstract

Methanol poisoning has become a considerable problem in Iran. Liver can show some features of poisoning after methanol ingestion. Therefore, our concern was to examine liver tissue histopathology in fatal methanol poisoning cases in Iranian population. In this study, 44 cases of fatal methanol poisoning were identified in a year. The histological changes of the liver were reviewed. The most striking features of liver damage by light microscopy were micro-vesicular steatosis, macro-vesicular steatosis, focal hepatocyte necrosis, mild intra-hepatocyte bile stasis, feathery degeneration and hydropic degeneration. Blood and vitreous humor methanol concentrations were examined to confirm the proposed history of methanol poisoning. The majority of cases were men (86.36%). In conclusion, methanol poisoning can cause histological changes in liver tissues. Most importantly in cases with mean blood and vitreous humor methanol levels greater than 127 ± 38.9 mg/dL more than one pathologic features were detected.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Fatty Liver / chemically induced
  • Fatty Liver / pathology
  • Female
  • Hepatocytes / drug effects
  • Hepatocytes / pathology
  • Humans
  • Iran / epidemiology
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / pathology
  • Male
  • Massive Hepatic Necrosis / chemically induced
  • Massive Hepatic Necrosis / mortality
  • Massive Hepatic Necrosis / pathology*
  • Methanol / pharmacokinetics
  • Methanol / poisoning*
  • Middle Aged
  • Necrosis / chemically induced
  • Solvents / pharmacokinetics
  • Solvents / poisoning*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Solvents
  • Methanol