Liver disease in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The incidence of hepatic involvement was followed up in a retrospective study carried out in a group of 177 patients with SLE. The liver damage was estimated by clinical examination, the titer of hepatocytic enzymes and, in some cases by hepatic biopsy. The proportion of liver involvement was found reduced but that did not exclude severe hepatic inflammation in certain cases. A high incidence of hepatomegaly was noted in spite of the fact that the histopathologic examination often showed normal values. The entity "lupoid hepatitis" is discussed as well as its real relationship with SLE.