Hepatic part 2 Flashcards
Excess bilirubin in the ECF is known as
jaundice
large quantities of unconjugated or conjugated bilirubin
Common causes of jaundice include:
increased destruction of RBCs- hemolytic jaundice
obstruction of bile ducts or damage to hepatocytes preventing bilirubin from being excreted- obstructive jaundice
The toxic form of bilirubin to hepatocytes is
conjugated form
In hemolytic jaundice, RBS are
hemolyzed rapidly
- also have increased production of bilirubin by macrophages
- increased unconjugated bilirubin- hepatocytes cannot process all of the bilirubin
When RBCs are hemolyzed rapidly in hemolytic jaundice, it results in an
increase in unconjugated bilirubin in the blood
-but also a secondary increase in conjugated (direct) bilirubin
In hemolytic jaundice, the excretory function of the liver
is not impaired
In hemolytic jaundice, the rate of formation of urobilinogen
in the intestines increases and urinary excretion increases
Obstructive jaundice can be due to
obstruction of the common bile duct (most common)
damage to hepatic cells
Obstruction of the common bile duct in obstructive jaundice can be due to
gallstone & malignancy
Damage to hepatic cells in obstructive jaundice can be a result of
hepatitis
Describe the formation of bilirubin in obstructive jaundice.
Unconjugated bilirubin enters the hepatocytes and is conjugated in the usual way
- the rate of conjugated bilirubin formation is normal but it cannot pass from the liver into the intestines
- the conjugated bilirubin enters the blood probably by rupture of the bile Canaliculi and direct emptying of bile into the lymph system
In obstructive jaundice, most of the bilirubin in the plasma exists in
the conjugated form
Describe the diagnostic differences between hemolytic & obstructive jaundice.
hemolytic jaundice- almost all bilirubin in the plasma is the unconjugated form (AKA free bilirubin)
obstructive jaundice- bilirubin in the plasma is in the conjugated form
In obstructive jaundice, when there is total obstruction of bile flow,
no conjugated bilirubin can reach the intestines to be converted to urobilinogen
no urobilinogen is reabsorbed into the blood and excreted by the kidney- test for urobilinogen in the urine is completely negative
Generally liver function tests are not
very sensitive or specific
Serum transaminase measurements reflect
hepatocellular integrity as apposed to liver function
Tests that measure the livers synthetic function include:
serum albumin
prothrombin time or INR
cholesterol
& pseudocholinesterase
Due to its large functional reserve, lab tests may be
NORMAL in the presence of cirhossis
In order to assess overall liver function,
we must take tests in total as no one tests reflects overall liver function
Liver abnormalities are typically divided into
parenchymal disorders (hepatocellular dysfunction) obstructive disorders (biliary excretion)
Normal total bilirubin is encompassing of
conjugated + unconjugated
is < 1.5 mg/dL
reflects the balance between production and biliary excretion
Jaundice is usually clinically evident when the total bilirubin is
> 3.0 mg/dL
A predominantly conjugated hyperbilirubinemia is associated with
an increased urobilinogen & may reflect: intrahepatic cholestasis, extrahepatic biliary obstruction
both of these may lead to hepatocellular dysfunction
_________ is toxic to cells
conjugated bilirubin; unconjugated is not