Cirrhosis Flashcards
Cirrhosis
Late stage of progressive hepatic fibrosis
Characterized histologically by regenerative nodules surrounded by fibrous tissue
Generally irreversible
two types:
Compensated (no complications)
Decompensated (complications)
ex of complications of cirrhosis
variceal hemorrhage
ascites
encephalopathy
jaundice
suspect cirrhosis in
Any patient with chronic liver disease
Chronic abnormal aminotransferases (ALT) and/or alkaline phosphatase (alk phos)
Liver insufficiency Low albumin ( 1.3) High bilirubin (> 1.5 mg/dL) Portal hypertension Low platelet count (
Etiologies of cirrhosis
Viral:
Hepatitis C*
Hepatitis B
Alcoholic liver disease*
Autoimmune:
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Autoimmune hepatitis
Metabolic:
Hemochromatosis (iron)
Wilson Disease (copper)
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin deficiency
Vascular:
Budd-Chiari syndrome
Congestive heart failure
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
signs of cirrhosis
scleral icterus jaundice spider angioma pectoral alopecia enlarged left lobe caput medusae umbilical hernia white nails/clubbing femal escutcheon edema muscle wasting gynecomastia splenomegaly ascites testicular atrophy palmar erythema/Dupuytren's contracture purpura/petechiae
prehepatic portal htn
Prehaptic portal htn:
- portal vein thrombosis
- schistosomiasis (eggs get stuck before sinusoids–> portal htn)
- cirrhosis
Post sinusoidal htn
post-sin obstructive syndrome:
obstruce of small veins after sinusoids
Liver biopsy and cirrhosis
not necessary:
Decompensated cirrhosis (variceal hemorrhage, ascites, encephalopathy)
CT scan diagnostic of cirrhosis
not needed for pretransplant eval
Way to assess mortality in cirrhosis
Child-Turcotte-Pugh Score (CTP)
MELD score
Mathematical survival model created from data on patients undergoing TIPS
MELD score estimates risk of 3-month mortality
Uses 3 laboratory values
- Serum total bilirubin
- Serum creatinine
- INR
Calculating MELD score
normal 6
- 4 + 9.8 x log (INR) +
- 2 x log (Cr) +
- 8 x log (Bilirubin)
Organ allocation for liver transplant
Fulminant hepatic failure has highest priority
MELD score determines priority in cirrhosis
Amongst patients with same blood type, highest MELD score determines priority
Waiting time used only to break ties with identical MELD scores
MELD scores are updated at regular intervals
Mech of portal htn
P=RxF (pressure, resistance, flow)
Portal hypertension can result from:
increase in resistance to portal flow and/or
increase in portal venous inflow
mech leading to portal htn in cirrhosis
Increased intrahepatic resistance
is the initial mechanism leading to portal hypertension
-distorted sinusoidal architecture leads to increased resistance in cirrhosis
causes of portal htn
- cirrhosis (sinusoidal site)
- prehepatic :portal or splenic v thrombosis, schistosomiasis
-post sinusoidal: veno-occlusive disease
post hepatic: Budd Chiari syndrome (hepatic v thrombosis
Intrahepatic resistance in cirrhosis
structural (sinusoidal fibrosis and regenerative nodules) but also functional (active vasoconstriction)
- in cirrhosis Nitric oxide activity is reduced and vasoconstrictors are increased
Splanchnic vasodilation in portal htn
results from increase in NO
(shear stress in splanchnic vasculature increases NO, as does bacterial translocation from ascites)–> splnachnic vasodil, increase in portal inflow
MEch of portal htn in sirrhosis
Increased intrahepatic resistance
Structural (fibrosis, regenerative nodules)
Active vasoconstriction (decreased nitric oxide, increased vasoconstrictors)
Increased portal venous inflow
Splanchnic vasodilation (increased nitric oxide)
Safest method for measuring portal pressure
measurement of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG)
subtracting the free hepatic venous pressure (FHVP) from the wedged hepatic venous pressure (WHVP):
HVPG= WHVP-FHVP
FHVP is “internal zero” (correct for extravascular, intraabdominal pressure increases)
Normal HVPG: 3-5 mmHg
Will be NORMAL in presinusoidal portal htn and post-hepatic portal htn; increased in sinusoidal portal htn, post-sinusoidal.
Cirrhosis and varices
increased resistance to portal flow–> increased portal pressure–> varices, variceal growth
varices increase in diameter progressively (none to small to large at rates of 7-8% per year)
Predictors of variceal HEMORRHAGE
variceal size
red signs
child b/c
2 year probability of first bleed: small 7%, large 30%