Evaluación macroscópica y microscópica del efecto de la atorvastatina sobre la progresión-regresión de la esteatosis hepática en un modelo aviar

The chicken is useful and suitable as an animal model of hepatic steatosis induced by an atherogenic diet. Two methods of assessment are described: macroscopic and microscopic analysis. It was concluded that macroscopic evaluation rapidly identifies the effect of diet; atorvastatin showed a beneficial effect, although this was not statistically significant. Histological analysis (by evaluation of lipidic deposits) provided a more detailed classification of the grades of lesion, especially in intermediate grades. The histological analysis showed a decrease in the severity of induced hepatic lesions in atorvastatin-treated groups. The combination of the two evaluation methods (macroscopic and microscopic) was useful for determining the grades of severity of hepatic steatosis.