Granulomatous hepatitis, increased platelet aggregation, and hypercholesterolemia.

Two young patients presented with an unusual liver disease, granulomatous hepatitis with postnecrotic cirrhosis, and both underwent a splenorenal shunt procedure. Each developed an arterial embolic episode probably related to increased platelet aggregation. This represents the first report of a liver disease associated with increased platelet aggregation that was clinically significant, a myocardial infarction in one and a posterior cerebral infarction in the other. Also, unexpectedly, both patients became hypercholesterolemic after the splenorenal shunt was established.