[Steatosis of the liver cells--subclinical liver damage or more?].

The basis of the results are histological investigations of the preparations of liver biopsy of 134 donors who were evident in the SGPT-screening and of 100 patients with viral hepatitis after normalisation of the clinical and the laboratory-chemical findings. The liver casts were got by means of Menghini's method. In patients with hepatitis we found in 43% and in donors in 44% a small-droplet to medium size droplet fatty change in the liver cells. A large-droplet fatty change in the liver cells occurred in the patients with hepatitis only in 2% of the cases, in the donors, however, in 25%. Factors which favour the fatty change in the liver cells, such as adiposis, alcohol and prednisone therapy, were excluded. Our results increase the suspicion that in one part of the clinically healthy donors who are evident in the SGPT-screening we have to do with persons who are in the healing phase of a viral hepatitis with abortive course. Therefore, these persons should be excluded from blood donation. Donors and patients with the findings of a large-droplet fatty change in the liver cells must be investigated systemically. Blood donors with the findings of a fatty liver may remain in the team of donors.