alcoholic liver disease

Question 1

what is the definition of alcoholic liver disease?

Answer 1

progressive liver disease caused by excessive chronic alcohol consumption

Question 2

What is the pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease?

Answer 2

1. ethanol – (alcohol dehydrogenase) – acetaldehyde
2. acetaldehyde – (aldehyde dehydrogenase) – acetate
3. acetate –> fatty acids

Question 3

What are the 4 stages of alcoholic liver development?

Answer 3

1. Normal
2. Fatty liver
3. Steatohepatitis
4. Fibrosis / cirrhosis

Question 4

Name 3 clinical features of alcoholic liver disease?

Answer 4

1. spider naevi
2. jaundice
3. Palmar erythema

Question 5

What are the results of FBC?

Answer 5

1. Raised MCV

2. Thrombocytopenia

Question 6

What are the results of LFTs?

Answer 6

1. raised GGT

2. raised AST > ALT

Question 7

At which stage is damage irreversible?

Answer 7

Liver cirrhosis / fibrosis

Question 8

How does ‘Acoholic fatty liver’ present?

Answer 8

1. reversible
2. mostly asymptomatic
3. regresses after alcohol consumption is stopped

Question 9

How does ‘Alcoholic hepatitis’ present?

Answer 9

1. result of persistent, long term alchohol use
2. non specific symptoms - nausea, weightloss, loss of appetite
3. • jaundice *
4. alcohol withdrawl

Question 10

How does ‘alcohol related cirrhosis’ present?

Answer 10

1. irreversible
2. final stage of ALD
3. symptoms of liver cirrhosis