Accessory Digestive Organs and Metabolic Disorders Flashcards
What liver syndrome is described as an absence of general functions, where cells do not function properly?
Hepatic failure
What liver syndrome is described as architectural disruption and fibrosis within nodules of hepatocytes?
Cirrhosis
True or false. Liver cirrhosis has rapid onset of symptoms.
False. Nodules of functional tissue are sufficient for maintenance; can be asymptomatic early on
What is the function of Kupffer cells?
Resident macrophages of the liver
What is the function of quiescent stellate cells?
Vitamin A storage
What are the functions of activated stellate cells (myofibroblasts)? (4)
- Proliferation
- Contraction
- Chemotaxis
- Fibrogenesis
What causes activation of stellate cells?
Release of cytokines from Kupffer cells
What is the difference between jaundice and icterus?
- Jaundice: yellowing of skin
- Icterus: yellowing of sclera
What is the function of bilirubin?
- End product of heme catabolism to be excreted
How is bilirubin excreted?
- Conjugated to glucuronic acid
- Excreted in bile
- Eventually fecal matter
What is cholestasis?
Impaired bile formation/flow
Does massive hepatocyte damage (necrosis) occur in acute or chronic hepatitis?
Acute
True or false. Acute hepatitis can be symptomatic or asymptomatic
True
What systemic viruses can cause acute hepatitis? (2)
- Yellow fever
- Mononucleosis
What are the frequencies of chronic liver disease among the hepatitis viruses?
- HepA - Never
- HepB - 5-10%
- HepC - >80%
- HepD - 10% coinfection w/ HepB; 90-100% superinfections
- HepE - Only in immunocompromised
True or false. HepA infections are never chronic
True
Spontaneous clearance of HepB surface antigen (HBsAg) occurs in ____% of chronic hepatitis cases in western countries.
1-2%
What causes HepC infections to become chronic?
- Reactivation of endogenous HCV strain
- RNA is not fully cleared
- Emergence of new mutant strain
What are the symptoms of chronic hepatitis? (9)
- Fatigue
- Malaise
- Loss of appetite
- Mild jaundice
- Hepatic tenderness
- Hepatomegaly or splenomegaly
- Hyperglobulinemia
- Hyperbilirubinemia
- Increased serum transaminase
In what zone of a hepatic nodule would you expect to see viral damage?
Zone 1