Ultrastructural survey and tissue analysis of human livers after a 6-month course of etretinate.

A prospective study of the histology and ultrastructure of liver biopsies and analysis of liver tissue for retinoid was performed in twenty psoriasis patients treated with etretinate for 6 months. Nonspecific ultrastructural changes were noted in several liver specimens. Etretinate was detected in all samples. We find no significant hepatotoxicity after a 6 month course of etretinate. Body fat is probably a more important site than the liver for storage of etretinate.