Chapter 18-Liver Flashcards
What is the main blood supply for the liver
The portal vein provides 60-70% of blood flow
What are the three components of the portal triad
- Portal veins
- Hepatic arteries
- Bile ducts
Ischemic and hypoxic events are most likely to affect which zone of the hepatic lobule
Zone 1
Drugs and toxins in the liver are most likely to damage which lobular zone
3
What are the main primary diseases of the liver
- Viral hepatitis
- NAFLD
- Alcoholic liver disease
- hepatocellular carcinoma
What are the cytosolic serum measurements that can be ordered to investigate the integrity of the liver
AST
ALT
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
What is the serum measurement that can be take for testing the biliary excretory function
- Serum bilirubin
- Urine bilirubin
- Serum bile acids
What is direct serum bilirubin looking at
The amount of conjugated bilirubin
Which tests can be ordered to evaluate the love of damage to the bile canaliculus
Serum alkaline phosphatase
Serum gamma-glutamic transpeptidase (GGT)
Which serum level can be used to test for the amount of hepatic demethylation
Aminopyrine breath test
What are the two major hepatic changes that are reversible
Steatosis and cholestasis
What is the process and condition if there are councilman bodies or acidophil bodies present
Hepatic apoptosis
What is confluent necrosis and where does it normally begin
Widespread necrosis where there is zonal loss due to toxic or ischemic events, usually starting around a central vein
What is a bridging necrosis event
Zone of necrosis that links central veins to portal tracts or bridges them
IN the regeneration of the liver, which cytokines are present in the priming phase
TNF and IL6
IN the regeneration of the liver, which cytokines are present in the growth phase
HGF and TGF-alpha
What is the principal cell involved in the hepatic scar deposition
Hepatic stellate cell
What is the function of the stellate cell in a quiescent form
Lipid Vitamin A storage
What does the stellate cell become in the phase of hepatic repair
Highly fibrotic myofibroblasts
What is the process that initiates the stellate cells to become myofibroblasts
- Increased production of platelet derived growth factor Beta receptor (PDGFR-Beta) in the stellate cells
- Increased production of TGF-Beta and receptors
- increased metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2)
- Increased tissue inhibators of metalloproteinase 1 and 2 inhibators (TIMP2)
Once stellate cells become myofibroblasts, what is their function
Are contractile cells and are activated by endothelin-1 (ET-1)
What percentage of the liver functional capacity must be affected to cause hepatic failure
80 to 90%
What defines a case of acute hepatic liver failure
Acute liver illness with encephalopathy and coagulation that occurs 26 weeks after an initial liver injury, and must in the absence of pre-existing liver disease
What is the most common cause of acute liver failure
Massive hepatic necrosis, most often induced by drugs or toxins
Ingestion of which toxic is the most common cause of acute liver toxicity
50% occur due to ingestion (accidental or purposefully) of acetaminophen
IN Asia, what is the most common cause of acute liver toxicity
Hepatitis B and E
What is the time frame that acetaminophen causes liver toxicity
Within a week
IN the case of direct liver toxicity like with acetaminophen, what is the size and characteristic of the liver
Small and shrunken, without signs of scarring or regeneration due to the quick nature of the toxicity and failure.
What are the feature of the liver when damage is caused by viral infection
Failure is due to weeks or months of injury, so while the attack is acute, it will still show signs of regeneration and scarring
What are the conditions that can cause poisoning of the liver cells without any evidence of cell death and parenchymal collapse
Diffuse microvascular steatosis related to fatty liver of pregnancy and reactions to toxins
Which toxins can cause diffuse microvascular steatosis
Valproate and tetracycline
What is the general clinical presentation of acute liver failure
- Nausea, vomiting, and jaundice
- Followed by encephalopathy and coagulation defects
Cholestasis increases the risk of which condition
Life threatening bacterial infections
Hepatic encephalopathy is characterized by what presentations
- Confusion, stupor, coma or death
- Rigidity and hyperreflexia
- asterixis (rapid extension/flexion of the head and extremities)
How will Asterixis present and is characteristic of which condition
Rapid flexion/extension of the head and extremities, best seen with arms are in extension and wrists are dorsiflexed.
-Indicative of hepatic encephalopathy
The encephalopathies seen in hepatic failure are due to abnormal levels of what in the serum
Ammonia leading to neural dysfunction
What is the relation between hepatic failure and coagulation issues
Liver produces vitamin K dependent and independent clotting factors, so impaired hepatic function decreases, there is a decrease in the ability to clot, along with the development of DIC
What is hepatorenal syndrome defined as
Renal failure that is occurring in patients with hepatic failure, with no appearance or reason for kidney failure
What is the result of hepatorenal function on the serum concentrations
Decreased GFR and renal perfusion pressure due to:
- Systemic vasodilation
- activation of SNS
- Increased renin/angiotensin axis
- Increased renal vasoconstriction
What is chronic liver failure most associated with and what is the morphology of the result
Liver cirrhosis, characterized by regenerative parenchymal nodules surrounded by fibrous bands and vascularization
How do cirrohosis livers appearances during a biopsy tend to not develop portal hypertension
-narrow, dense, and compacted septa which are separated by large islands of intact parenchyma
How do cirrohosis livers appearances during a biopsy tend develop portal hypertension
-Broad bands of dense scarring, with dilated lymphatic spaces, with less intervening healthy parenchyma
How will patients with cirrhosis present in the clinic
Anorexia, weight loss, weakness
What are the normal causes of fatality in those patients with cirrhosis
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Bleeding of esophageal varicose veins
- Bacterial infections
During chronic liver injury, even if the cause is removed, which risks factors still remain
- Portal hypertension due to formation of irreversible shunts
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
What are common effects seen in chronic liver failure with regards to hormones and their result
Impaired estrogen metabolism, leading to hyperestrogenemia:
- palmar erythema (local vasodilation)
- spider angiomas
- hypogonadism and gynocomastia
What are the common causes of prehepatic conditions leading to portal hypertension
Obstructive thrombosis
Narrowing of the portal vein
Increased splenic venous blood flow
What are the common causes of posthepatic conditions that lead to portal hypertension
Right sided heart failure
Constructive pericarditis
Hepatic vein outflow obstruction
What is the main cause of intrahepatic conditions leading to portal hypertension
Cirrhosis
What is the leading cause of hepatic hypertension
Cirrhosis
Alteration in sinusoidal endothelial cells contribute to intrahepatic vasoconstriction and Portal Hypertension through which chemicals
- Decrease in NO
- Increased endothelin-1 (ET-1)
- Angiotensinogen
- Eicosanoid
What is the correlation between splanchnic circulation changes and portal hypertension
- Increased portal venous blood flow from hyperdynamic circulation caused by vasodilation in the Splanchnic circulation
- Overall leads to increased venous efflux
What is the most common cause of ascites
Cirrhosis
In the case of patients with ascites, what does the presence of neutrophils in the fluid mean
Infection
In the case of patients with ascites, what does the presence of blood in the fluid point to
Disseminated intra-abdominal cancer
With long standing ascities, what is the process of hydrothroax and which side is it more common on
-Seepage of peritoneal fluid through trans-diaphragmatic lymphatics, usually on the right side
What are the three mechanism that can lead to ascites pathogenesis
1-sinusiodal hypertension
2-percolation of hepatic lymph into the peritoneal cavity
3-Splanchnic vasodilation and hyperdynamic circulation
What is happening in the sinusoidal hypertension as a result of ascities pathogensis
Alterations in Starling’s forces, which drive fluid into space of Disse (also promoted by hypoalbumininemia), where it is removed by hepatic lymphatics
What is the happening in the percolation of hepatic lymph into the peritoneal cavity as a result of portal hypertension and formation of ascites
With cirrhosis, normal lymph flow is far exceeding what is normally does, so there is more than the thoracic duct can handle. As a result, protein rich and triglyceride poor fluid accumulates as part of the ascites fluid
In the case of patients with ascites, what does the presence of splanchnic vasodilation and hyper-dynamic circulation as a result of portal hypertension that results in ascites
Arterial vasodilation in the splanchnic circulation and reduces that arterial blood pressure. The CO is unable to compensate and as a result vasoconstrictors are activated,leading to excess fluid leaving into the abdominal cavity
What is the result on the spleen as a result of liver congestion
Splenomegaly, leading to hypersplenism, such as thrombocytopenia and pancytopenia
What is hepatopulmonary syndrome and what is a common cause
Seen in 30% of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension:
-When the intrapulmonary vasculature dilates, including capillaries, resulting in hypoxia
What is mechanism of hepatopulmonary syndrome
-Intrapulmomsry vasculature, including capillaries, dilate. This results in ventilation/perfusion mismatch and hypoxia, creates and right to left shunt
What position that exacerbates hepatopulmonary syndrome
Dyspnea in the upright position
What are the clinical findings of portopulmonary hypertension and what is the common cause
Caused by liver disease and portal hypertension, leading to vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling of the pulmonary arteries
-dyspnea upon exertion and clubbing of the fingers
What is a cause of acute on chronic liver failure with regards to hepatitis origin
-Chronic Hepatitis B infection in a patients who become infected with hepatitis D
What is the cause of acute on chronic liver failure with regards to ascending cholagitis
Ascending cholagitis in a patients with primary sclerosing cholagitis is fibropolycystic liver disease
Overall, what is the very general mechanism of acute on chronic liver disease
-A well compensated chronic liver disease undergoes distress when an acute and new toxin/event causes changes that the remaining parenchyma can not handle
What is the usually clinical course and outcome of Hepatitis A infection
Usually benign, self limited disease with 2-6 weeks of incubation period
What are the common locations that Hepatitis A infections are occuring
Places with poor hygiene and sanitation with a fecal oral transmission
Which marker is a reliable indication for an acute hepatitis A infection
Anti HAV IgM titer, as a rise in this also indicates lack of fecal shedding
What are the five potential outcomes from a hepatitis B infection
1-Acute hepatitis with recovery and clearance
2-nonprogressive chronic hepatitis
3-progressive chronic disease with cirrhosis
4-acute hepatic failure with massive liver necrosis
5-asympatmatic healthy carrier
Which cancer is hepatitis B an important precursor for
Hepatocellular carcinoma (even in the absence of cirrhosis)
The carrier rate for hepatitis B is largely determined by which factor
The age of infection, as infection in children leads to a higher carrier rate
What is the main transmission route for hepatitis B
90% is due to transmission during childbirth
In areas of low levels of Hepatitis B prevalence, what is the most common route of transmission
Sexual contact or drug use
How are most hepatitis B infections prevented
Use of the vaccine as it is 95% successful
What is the location of hepatitis B during active and chronic infections
In the Blood
What percentage of patients with chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis B recover
1-2% of the patients spontaneously clear the infection
What is the result of most patients with an acute or subclinical disease
Recovery
What is the result of the majority of patients who develop chronic hepatitis
Cirrhosis
What is the function of the hepatitis B preform region
Directs the secretion of the core region aka HBeAg
What is the activity of the Pol portion of hepatitis B
A polymerase that is a DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase
What portion of the hepatitis B virus has been indicated in cancer and which cancer is it
HBx (activates transcription) in hepatocellular carcinoma
What are the levels of HBsAg over the course of a hepatitis B infection
HBsAg:
- Appears before onset of symptoms
- Peaks during disease
- Undetectable by week 12
What are the levels of anti-HBs antibody over the course of a hepatitis B infection
Anti-HB antibodies:
- Rises after acute distress
- Usually after the disappearance of HBsAg
What are the levels of HBeAg, HBV-DNA, and DNA polymerase over the course of a hepatitis B infection
Appear in serum after HBsAg, and present during viral replication
What marker is the HBeAg used to monitor
Continues viral replication, infectivity, and progression to chronic hepatitis
What does the presence of anti-HBe antibodies imply
Acute infection has peaked and is winding down
What is the main determinant of the result of a hepatitis B viral infection
Host immune response
During the hepatitis B infection, what is causing the destruction to the liver
CD8 T cells
What is the best predictor of chronicity of hepatitis B infection
Age (the younger at onset, more likely to develop)
What are the common risk factors for hepatitis C
- IV drug users (54%)
- Sexual partners (36%)
- Surgury in last 6 months (16%)
- Needle stick (10%)
- Contact with infected with HCV (10%)
What is the target of the hepatitis C antibodies and what is the characteristic of that target
-E2 protein is the target, but serves to be the most variable portion of the virus
Why is there no vaccine to hepatitis C
-Genomic instability and antigenic variability as even the presence of IgG does not incur lifelong immunity
What is a typical feature of the clinical infection course of disease for hepatitis C
-Repeated bouts of hepatic damange due to the reactivation of preexisting infection or the emergence of an endogenous, new strain
Which condition is very commonly associated with hepatitis C infected patients
Chronic disease in (80-90%), resulting in cirrhosis in 20% of them
In those patients with chronic hepatitis, which test should be run for diagnosis and what is it evaluating
Hepatitis C RNA testing for assessment of viral replication and conformation of diagnosis
In patients with chronic hepatitis C viral infection, what is a characteristic serum finding
Persistent elevations in serum aminotransferases
Which syndrome is highly associated with hepatitis C infection
Metabolic syndrome, as it can cause insulin resistance and NAFLD, particularly with genotype 3
Treatment of hepatitis C infection with what can possibly provide a cure
Pegylated IFN
Ribavirin
Patients with which hepatitis C genotype are generally likely to have a better response to treatment
2 or 3
Which polymorphism can result in better responses to hepatitis C treatment
Polymorphism in the IL28B gene
What is the general clinical outcome in a patient who is infected with a co-infection of the Hepatitis B and D
Usually self limiting and there is clearance of both viruses in healthy non-IV drug users
Which population is at a higher risk of acute hepatic failure when co-infected with hepatitis B and D
IV drug users
What is the result in patients who are infected with chronic hepatitis B and are inoculated with hepatitis D
Superinfection, resulting in chronic hepatitis D in almost all patients
What is the most reliable indicator of hepatitis D viral infection
IgM anti-HDV antibodies
What is the route of infection of hepatitis E and what is the common patient population affected
Zoonotic disease (pigs) that is a water Bourne infection primarily occurring in young to middle aged adults
Which patients are at an increased risk of poor prognosis as a result of infection with hepatitis E
Pregnant women as mortality is 20%
What is the relationship between hepatitis E and immunocompetent patients with regards to chronic conditions
Does not cause chronic liver disease or persistence of viremia
What are the clinical features of hepatitis infections with acute asymptomatic infection with recovery
- Subclinical and only found accidental
- Minimally elevated serum transaminases
What are the clinical features of hepatitis infections with scute symptomatic infection with recovery
1) Incubation period
2) symptomatic preicteric phase
3) symptomatic icteric phase
4) Convalescence
What are the clinical features of hepatitis infections with acute liver failure
Hepatitis A and E are most common causes
-activation of stem cells from canal of Hering, no other real symptoms/treatments other than supportive
What are the clinical features of hepatitis infections with chronic hepatitis
All Changes continuing or relapsing diseases for longer than 6 months:
- Elevations in transaminases
- prolonged prothrombin time
- fatigue
- hepatomegaly, hepatic tenderness and mild splenomegaly
Which condition is commonly found to have cyroglobulemia
Chronic hepatitis C infection (in 35% of patients)
What percentage of patients with an acute hepatitis C viral infection with progress to a chronic hepatitis
80%
The presence of spotty necrosis or lobular hepatitis are indicative of which kind of injury
Acute viral hepatitis
In severe acute hepatitis, where is the damage seen and what are the common histological findings
Occurs around the central veins and accompanying severity are central-portal bridging necrosis, along with even worse parenchymal collapse
What is the characteristic histological feature of chronic viral hepatitis
Mononuclear portal infiltration
What condition is found to have interface between the hepatocellular parenchyma and portal tract stroma, along with scarring
Progressive chronic hepatitis
What is the histological progression of chronic hepatitis infection histologically
- Only the portal ducts exhibit fibrosis at first
- Over time, there is increasing ductular reaction, which reflects the stem cell action
Which condition is characterized by histological feature of ground glass hepatocytes
Hepatitis B, caused by ER swelling by HBsAg
Which condition shows lymphoid aggregates or fully formed lymphoid follicles, commonly with fatty changes
Hepatitis C
Which parasite is the common cause of cholangiocarcinoma in Southeast Asia
Liver flukes
What are hydatid cysts caused by and what is usually used to confirm the diagnosis
Caused by echinococcal infections and are confirmed by their calcification in the cyst walls
Autoimmune hepatitis is commonly associated with which HLA
DRB1 alleles
What are the common patient populations seen to have autoimmune hepatitis
White females
Which autoimmune hepatitis is known to affect middle aged to older individuals
Type 1
Which autoimmune hepatitis is known to affect individuals in their teens and children
Type 2
Type 2 autoimmune hepatitis are known have antibodies against which antigens
- antinuclear (ANA)
- antismooth muscle actin (SMA)
- anti-soluble liver antigen/liver-pancreas (SLA/LP)
- anti-mitochondrial (AMA)
Type 1 autoimmune hepatitis are known have antibodies against which antigens
- Anti-liver Kidney microsomes 1(LKM-1)
- Anti-CYP2D6
- Anti-liver cytosol-1 (ACL-1)
How is autoimmune hepatitis distinguished from viral hepatitis
The time frame, as viral hepatitis is a slower longer period of destruction and subsequent scarring. Autoimmune hepatitis is rapid damage, followed by rapid scarring
Which condition is characterized histologically by plasma cell predominance in inflammatory infiltrates and “rosettes” in ares of activity
Autoimmune hepatitis
How would acute hepatic damage be differentiated as the origin from drug toxicity or autoimmune hepatitis
Both will have little/no scarring:
Autoimmune hepatitis- Confluent necrosis
Drug toxicity- Lobule necrosis
Which patient population tends to have a better prognosis with regards to autoimmune hepatitis
Adults over children
What is the result of liver transplantation in patients with autoimmune hepatitis
-High 10 year survival, but there is a 20% chance of recurrence
What conditions are autoimmune gastritis associated with
Autoimmune conditions, particularly primary biliary cirrhosis (more common) or primary sclerosing cholangitis
What is the most common agent the produces toxic liver injury
Alcohol
What is the manner in which predictable reactions affect all people
Dose dependent manner
What is the most common toxins causing acute hepatic failure and the need for a liver transplant
Acetaminophen
What aspect of acetaminophen is toxic and where is it formed
CYP450 in the liver creates a toxic byproduct
What are two examples of idiosyncratic reactions that cause liver damage
- chlorpromazine
- halothane
What is the leading cause of liver disease in most western countries
Excessive alcohol consumption
What are the three distinctive forms of alcoholic liver injury
1-Hepatocellular steatosis or fatty change
2-Alcoholic hepatitis
3-Steatofibrosis
What are the morphological findings in hepatic steatosis (fatty liver)
-Lipid begins as small droplets that coalesce into large droplets which distend the hepatocytes and push the nucleus aside, but is completely reversible
What does the presence of hepatocytes swelling and necrosis, Mallory Denk bodies, and Neutrophilic reactions signify
Alcoholic (steato-) hepatitis