liver to work on Flashcards
Give 4 functions of the liver
- Glucose and fat metabolism
- Detoxification and excretion
- Protein synthesis (e.g. albumin, clotting factos)
- Bile production
Give 4 causes of hepatic jaundice
- Liver disease
- Hepatitis - viral, drug, immune, alcohol
- Ischaemia
- Neoplasm - HCC, mets
- Congestions - CCF
Give 3 causes of post-hepatic jaundice
Duct obstruction
- Gallstones
- Stricture - Malignancy, ischaemia, inflammatory
- Blocked stent
Give 3 symptoms of jaundice
- Biliary pain
- Rigors - indicate an obstructive cause
- Abdomen swelling
- Weight loss
Why are liver patients vulnerable to infection?
- Impaired reticuloendothelial function
- Reduced opsonic activity
- Leucocyte function
- Permeable gut wall
which conditions can cause Gallstones
- Obesity and rapid weight loss
- DM
- Contraceptive pill
- Liver cirrhosis
Give 4 symptoms of gallstones
Most are asymptomatic
- Biliary colic (sudden RUQ pain radiating to the back and epigastrium +/- nausea/vomiting) - AFTER EATING FATTY MEALS
- Acute cholecystitis (gallbladder distension –> inflammation, necrosis, ischaemia)
- Obstructive jaundice
- Cholangitis
- Pancreatitis
How can gallstones be removed from the gallbladder?
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
ERCP with removal or destruction (mechanical lithotripsy) or stent placement
Bile acid dissolution therapy (for people not suitable for surgery)
Give 5 causes of acute liver disease
- Viral hepatitis
- Drug induced hepatitis
- Alcohol induced hepatitis
- Vascular - Budd-Chiari
- Obstruction
Give 5 causes of chronic liver disease
- Alcohol
- NAFLD
- Viral hepatitis (B,C,E)
- Autoimmune diseases
- Metabolic
- Vascular - Budd-Chairi
Give 5 signs of acute liver failure
- Jaundice
- Fetor hepaticus (smells like pears)
- Coagulopathy
- Asterixis - liver flap
- Malaise
- Lethargy
- Encephalopathy
Give 5 signs of chronic liver disease
- Ascites
- Oedema
- Bruising
- Clubbing
- Depuytren’s contracture
- Palmar erythema
- Spider naevi
What do the blood tests show in someone with liver failure?
Raised bilirubin Low glucose High AST and ALT Low levels of coagulation factors Raised prothrombin time High ammonia levels
Describe the treatment for liver failure
- Nutrition
- Supplements
- Treat complications
- Raised intracranial pressure = mannitol
- PPI = reduce GI bleeds
- bleeding = vitamin K
- encephalopathy = lactulose
- ascites = diuretics
- sepsis = sepsis 6, antibiotics - Liver transplant
Give 4 complications of of liver failure
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Abnormal bleeding
- Jaundice
- Ascites
What drugs should be avoided in liver failure?
Constipators
Oral hypoglycaemics
Warfarin has enhanced effects
Opiates
What is cirrhosis?
Loss of normal hepatic architecture with fibrosis - liver injury causes necrosis and apoptosis- irreversible
Give 3 causes of cirrhosis
common:
- chronic alcohol abuse
- non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- hepatitis
others
- haemochromatosis
- Wilson’s disease
- alpha-antitrypsin deficiency
Give 4 signs of cirrhosis
- ascites
- clubbing
- palmar erythema
- xanthelasma
- spider naevi
- hepatomegaly
- peripheral oedema
What investigations are done in someone with cirrhosis?
- Bloods = low platelets, high INR, low albumin
- US and CT - hepatomegaly
- liver biopsy - diagnostic
What is the treatment for liver cirrhosis?
- Good nutrition and alcohol abstinence
- Treat underlying cause
- Fluid and salt restriction for ascites –> spironolactone, furosemide, prophylactic ciprofloxacin
- liver transplant = definitive
- Screen for HCC - increased AFP
Give 4 complications of cirrhosis
Ascites
portal hypertension
- Decompensation
- SBP
- Increased risk of HCC
Give 3 causes of portal hypertension
- Pre-hepatic = blockage of hepatic portal vein before the liver (portal vein thrombosis)
- Hepatic = distortion of liver architecture (cirrhosis, schistosomiasis, Budd Chiari syndrome)
- Post-hepatic = venous blockage outside the liver (RHF, IVC obstruction)
what is the clinical presentation of portal hypertension?
- often asymptomatic
- splenomegaly
- spider naevi
- GI bleeding
- ascites
- hepatic encephalopathy
Name 4 conditions that can develop as a result of having hepatic encephalopathy
SAVE
- Splenomegaly
- Ascites
- Varices
- Encephalopathy
Give 4 causes of ascites and an example for each
- Local inflammation - peritonitis
- Leaky vessels - imbalance between hydrostatic and oncotic pressures
- Low flow - cirrhosis, thrombosis, cardiac failure
- Low protein - hypoalbuminaemia
Describe the pathophysiology of ascites
- Increased intra-hepatic resistance leads to portal hypertension –> ascites
- Systemic vasodilation leads to secretion of RAAS, NAd and ADH –> fluid retention
- Low serum albumin
Give 3 signs of ascites
- Distension
- Dyspnoea
- Shifting dullness on percussion
- Signs of liver failure
Describe the treatment for ascites
- Restrict sodium and fluids
- Diuretics - spirolactone
- Paracentesis
- Albumin replacement
Describe the effects of alcoholic liver disease
- Fatty liver –> hepatitis –> cirrhosis and fibrosis
- GIT –> gastritis, varices, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis , carcinoma
- CNS –> Degreased memory and cognition, wernicke’s encephalopathy
- Folate deficiency –> anaemia
- Reproduction –> testicular atrophy, reduced testosterone/progesterone
- Heart –> dilated cardiomyoapthy, arrhythmias
What might be seen histologically that indicates a diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease?
Neutrophils and fat accumulation within hepatocytes
What type of anaemia do you associate with alcoholic liver disease?
Macrocytic anaemia
What distinctive feature is often seen on biopsy in people suffering form alcoholic liver disease?
Mallory bodies
How do you treat alcoholic liver disease?
● Stop alcohol – treat delirium tremens with diazepam
● IV thiamine to prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff encephalopathy
● High vitamin and protein diet
● Fatty liver – if alcohol stopped fat disappears
● Hepatitis
o Nutrition maintained with enteral feeding and vitamin supplements
o Steroids show short term benefit – reduce inflammation
o Infections treated and prevented
● Cirrhosis
o Reduce salt intake, stop drinking for life
o Avoid aspirin and NSAIDS
o Liver transplant
How does alcoholic hepatitis present?
Jaundice Anorexia Nausea and vomiting Fever Encephalopathy Cirrhosis Hepatomegaly Ascites, bruising, clubbing
How long does hepatitis persist for to be deemed chronic?
6 months
Give 3 infective causes of acute hepatitis
- Hepatitis A-E infections
- EBV
- CMV
Give 3 non-infective causes of acute and chronic hepatitis
- Alcohol
- Drugs
- Toxins
- Autoimmune
Give 3 symptoms of acute hepatitis
- General malaise
- Myalgia
- GI upset
- Abdominal pain
- Raised AST, ALT
- +/- jaundice
If HAV a RNA or DNA virus?
RNA virus - PicoRNAvirus
How might you diagnose someone with HAV infection?
bloods - ALT/AST raised
raised IgG and IgM
Is HBV a RNA or DNA virus?
DNA virus Replicates in hepatocytes
Describe the natural history of HBV in 4 phases
- Immune tolerance phase
- unimpeded viral replication
- HBV DNA = high - Immune clearance phase:
- the immune system ‘wakes up’
- liver inflammation
- ALT = high - Inactive HBV carrier phase
- HBV DNA = low
- ALT levels = normal
- no liver inflammation - Reactivation phase
- ALT = intermittent
- HBV DNA = intermittent
- liver fibrosis
What HBV protein triggers the initial immune response?
The core proteins
Describe the management of HBV infection
vaccination pegylated interferon alpha 2a nucleotide analogue (tenofovir) - inhibits viral replications
How would you know if someone had acute or chronic HBV infection?
Follow up appointment at 6 months to see if HBsAg still present
still present = chronic hepatitis
What are the potential consequences of chronic HBV infection?
- Cirrhosis
- HCC
- Decompensated cirrhosis
Give 3 side effects of alpha interferon treatment for HBV
- Myalgia
- Malaise
- Lethargy
- Thyroiditis
- Mental health problems
Give 2 HBV specific symptoms
Arthralgia
Urticaria (hives)
If HCV a RNA or DNA virus?
RNA virus - flavivirus
How might you diagnose someone with current HCV infection?
HCV RNA - indicates current infection
Anti-HCV serology
Describe the treatment for HCV
Direct acting antivirals
NS5A inhibitor - Ritonavir
NS5B inhibitor - Sofosbuvir
Is HDV a RNA or DNA virus?
Incomplete RNA virus Needs Hep B for assembly
Is HEV a RNA or DNA virus?
Small RNA virus
Is HEV acute or chronic?
Usually acute but there is a risk of chronic disease in the immunocompromised
How might you diagnose someone with HEV infection?
HEV RNA - HEV IgM, IgGanti-HEV
Give 3 causes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- T2DM
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Hyperlipidaemia
How do you manage NAFLD?
Lose weight
Control HTN,
DM and lipids
What is Budd-Chiari syndrome?
Hepatic vein occlusion –> ischaemia and hepatocyte damage –> liver failure or insidious cirrhosis
Name 3 metabolic disorders that can cause liver disease
- Haemochromatosis - iron overload
- Alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency
- Wilson’s disease - disorder of copper metabolism
90% of people with haemochromatosis have a mutation in which gene?
HFE - chromosome 6
Haemochromatosis is a genetic disorder, how is it inherited?
Autosomal recessive inheritance
Give 4 signs of haemochromatosis
- Fatigue, arthralgia, weakness
- Hypogonadism – eg erectile dysfunction
- SLATE-GREY SKIN (brownish/bronze)
- Chronic liver disease, heart failure, arrythmias
How might you diagnose someone with haemochromatosis?
- bloods - Raised ferritin, LFTs
- HFE genotyping - C282Y
- Liver biopsy - gold standard
What is the treatment for haemochromatosis?
- Iron removal - venesection
- Monitor DM
- Low iron diet
- Screening for HFE
- iron-chelating drugs
Give 2 complications of haemochromatosis?
Liver cirrhosis –> failure/cancer
DM due to pancreatic depositions
How is alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency inherited?
Autosomal recessive mutation in serine protease inhibitor gene
Describe the pathophysiology of alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency?
● A mutation in the alpha-1-antitrypsin gene on chromosome 14 leads to reduced hepatic production of alpha-1-antitrypsin which normally inhibits the proteolytic enzyme, neutrophil elastase
● Deficiency results in emphysema, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma
How does Alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency present?
Liver disease in the young - cirrhosis, jaundice
Lung disease in the old (smokers) - emphysema
How would you diagnose Alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency?
Serum alpha-1-antitrypsin levels are low
What is the treatment for Alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency?
● No treatment
● Treat complications such as liver disease
● Stop smoking
● Those with hepatic decompensation should be assessed for liver transplant
● Manage emphysema
How does Wilson’s disease present?
Children = liver disease - hepatitis, cirrhosis, fulminant liver failure
Adults = CNS problems, mood changes, and Kayser-Fleischer rings
What CNS changes are seen in a patient with Wilson’s disease?
Tremor Dysarthria Dyskinesia Ataxia Parkinsonism Dementia Depression
What is the treatment for Wilson’s disease?
Lifetime treatment with penicillamine (chelating agent)
Low Cu diet - no liver, nuts, chocolate, mushrooms, shellfish
Liver transplant
Describe the pathophysiology of autoimmune hepatitis
Abnormal T cell function and autoantibodies vs hepatocyte surface antigens
What people are more likely to present with autoimmune hepatitis?
Young (10-30) and middle aged (>40) women
How does autoimmune hepatitis present?
Fatigue, fever, malaise Hepatitis Hepatosplenomegaly Amenorrhoea Polyarthritis Pleurisy Lung infiltrates Glomuleronephritis
What diseases are associated with autoimmune hepatitis?
Autoimmune thyroiditis DM Pernicious anaemia PSC UC
What results would you see from the investigations of someone who you suspect has autoimmune hepatitis?
Raised LFTs - increased bilirubin, AST, ALT, ALP
Hypersplenism = low WCC and platelets
Autoantibodies = +ve ANA
Liver biopsy = mononuclear infiltrate
How is autoimmune hepatitis treated?
Prednisolone - immunosuppression
Liver transplant
What is primary biliary cirrhosis?
An autoimmune disease where intra-hepatic bile ducts are destructed by chronic granulomatous inflammation –> cholestatis (bile in liver) –> cirrhosis, fibrosis, portal hypertension
Describe 2 features of the epidemiology of primary biliary cirrhosis
- Females > males
2. Familial - 10 fold risk increase
Give 3 disease associated with primary biliary cirrhosis
- Thyroiditis
- RA
- Coeliac disease
- Lung disease
Other autoimmune diseases
Give 3 symptoms of primary biliary cirrhosis
- Pruritis
- Fatigue
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- Obstructive jaundice
- Cirrhosis and coagulopathy
What would investigations show in someone with primary biliary cirrhosis?
Bloods = LFT - GGT and ALP raised
Positive anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) = diagnostic
low albumin
Liver biopsy = epithelial disruption and lymphocyte infiltration
What is the treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis?
early stage = Ursodeoxycholic acid + steroids + Cholestyramine
ADEK vitamins
severe = Liver transplant
What is Primary sclerosing cholangitis?
Autoimmune inflammation and narrowing of intra and extra hepatic bile ducts