Iranian Journal of Pathology

Pathologic Lesions of Liver, Kidney and Lung in the Autopsy of 100 Mustard Gas-Exposed Iranian War Veterans

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

Nahid Kazemzadeh 1
Alireza Kadkhodaei 2
Babak Soltani 3
Siamak Soltani 1
Sahar Rismantab Sani 4

1 Dept. of Forensic Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Forensic and Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran

3 Dept. of Pediatrics, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran

4 Dept. of Internal Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Background & Objectives: Respiratory, central nervous system, and skin complications of mustard gas toxicity have previously been studied; however, the liver and kidney side effects due to this intoxication have not been fully noted. We aimed to evaluate the frequency of liver, kidney and lung lesions in mustard gas-exposed Iranian veterans who had been exposed to the toxin almost 2 decades before.
Methods: A total of 100 veteran bodies underwent autopsy by at least two forensic medicine specialists. The liver, kidney and lung specimens were sent for pathological examination and their lesions, severity of the lesions, and the relation between the type/severity of the lesions and the time elapsed since their appearance were studied.
Results: A total of 83%, 63%, and 62% of the veterans had lung, liver, and kidney pathologies. The most common pathologies included liver steatosis, interstitial fibrosis of the kidney, and lung atelectasis.
Conclusion: Liver and kidney pathologies are far more common than what is considered in the mustard gas-exposed veterans. These pathologies are often accompanied by very severe lung complications.

Keywords

Sulfur mustard
Autopsy
Lung
Liver
Kidney
pathology
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Iranian Journal of Pathology
Volume 9, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
Summer 2014
Pages 181-186

  • Receive Date 19 January 2013
  • Revise Date 26 April 2013
  • Accept Date 26 August 2013

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