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’.
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Financial support
We gratefully acknowledge funds received from Department of Science and Technology, Government of India (EMR/2015/000570) and fluid research funds, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India towards conduct of this study.
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AG, PC, RG, BR, GJA, SNK, AR, KAB, IM, JJF, EE, and CEE declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
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The study was performed in a manner that conforms with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000 and 2008 concerning human and animal rights, and the authors followed the policy concerning informed consent as shown on Springer.com.
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Goel, A., Christudoss, P., George, R. et al. Arsenicosis, possibly from contaminated groundwater, associated with noncirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension. Indian J Gastroenterol 35, 207–215 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-016-0660-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12664-016-0660-1