Gastroenterology Flashcards
Outline the spectrum of alcohol-related liver disease?
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease<div>- Alcoholic hepatitis</div><div>- Cirrhosis</div>
How can alcohol-related liver disease progress?
- Can be a stepwise progression; fatty liver –> alcoholic hepatitis –> cirrhosis<div>- In reality progression can be highly variable</div><div>- Influenced by genetic predisposition</div>
What is alcoholic fatty liver?
- Excess ingestion of alcohol and its subsequent metabolism leads to the deposition of excess fat in the liver<div>- May occur with or without concurrent inflammation</div><div>- Reversible in around 2 weeks following cessation of drinking</div>
What is alcoholic hepatits?
- Acute onset of symptomatic hepatitis due to severe inflammation of the liver<div>- Associated with sustained excess alcohol ingestion or acutely due to binge drinking</div><div>- Mild forms are reversible with permanent abstinence of drinking</div>
What is alcohol-related liver cirrhosis?
- Irreversible scaring of the liver<div>- Associated with numerous complications</div><div>- Abstinence can prevent further damage</div><div>- Continued drinking has very poor prognosis</div>
What is the rough threshold alcohol consumption that is said to significantly increases the risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis?
- Consumption <b>>100g per day for 15-20 years</b><div>- Approximately 12.5 units per day</div>
What is the relationship between alcohol units and ABV?
”- 1L of 5% ABV = 5 units<div>- 1L of 40% ABV = 40 units</div><div><br></br></div><div><br></br></div><div><b>Units = ABV / (1000/Volume )</b></div>”
Outline the DoH guidance for alcohol consumption in the UK?
- No more that 14 units per week spread evenly over 3 or more days<div>- No more than 5 units in any single day</div><div>- Alcohol should be completely avoided in pregnancy</div>
What questions can be used to screen for harmful alcohol use?
“<b><u>CAGE Questions;</u></b><div>- <b><u>C</u>utting down</b>; has patient considered cutting down</div><div>- <b><u>A</u>nnoyed</b>; does patient get annoyed about others commenting on their drinking</div><div>- <b><u>G</u>uilt</b>; has patient ever felt guilty about drinking</div><div>- <b><u>E</u>ye opener</b>; does pateint ever drink in the morning to help with hangovers/nerves</div>”
What questionnaire can be used to screen patients for harmful alcohol use?
<b><u>AUDIT Questionnaire;</u></b><div>- Alcohol use disorders identification test</div><div>- Score > 8 indicates harmful use</div>
Outline some of the complications of alcohol?
- Alcoholic liver disease<div>- Cirrhosis and the complications of which can include hepatocellular carcinoma</div><div>- Alcohol dependance and withdrawal</div><div>- Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS); vitamin B1(<b>thiamine</b>) deficiency</div><div>- Pancreatitis</div><div>- Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy</div>
Which scoring system can be used to assess the severity of alcoholic hepatitis?
<b><u>Maddrey Discriminant Function (DF)</u></b><div>- Based on prothrombin time and serum bilirubin</div><div>- DF > 32; severe hepatitis</div><div>- DF < 32; mild-to-moderate hepatitis</div>
What scoring system can be used to assess mortality amoung patients with alcoholic hepatitis?
<b><u>Glascow Alcoholic Hepatitis Score (GAH);</u></b><div>- Score > 9; severe alcoholic hepatitis, 46% 28-day survival</div>
What signs can often be seen upon examination of a patient with alcoholic liver disease?
- Jaundice<div>- Hepatomegaly</div><div>- Spider naevi</div><div>- Palmar erythema</div><div>- Dupuytren’s contracture</div><div>- Bruising; due to abnormal clotting</div><div>- Ascites</div><div>- Caput medusae; engorged superficial epigastric veins due to portal hypertension</div><div>- Asterixis; flapping tremor in decompensated liver disease</div>
What blood tests should be carried out in a patient with suspected alcoholic liver disease?
- FBCs; raised MSV in alcholics, likely elevated neutrophil count<div>- LFTs; derranged</div><div>- Clotting; elevated prothrombin time</div><div>- U&Es; may be derranged in hepatorenal syndrome</div>
What imaging can be used to investigate potential alcoholic liver disease?
<b>- Liver ultrasound</b> with dopplers can be used to assess the achitecture of the liver, may show fatty changes described as <b>increased echogenicity</b><div><b>- FibroScan</b>; can be used to assess the elasticity of the liver to assess the degree of cirrhosis</div>
What is meant by a non-invasive liver screen?
”- Series of non-invasive investigations to determine the possible causes of liver disease<div>- Includes screening questions, imaging and blood tests</div><div><img></img><br></br></div>”
Outline some of the changes that may be seen in the LFT blood test results for a patient with alcoholic liver disease?
- Elevated ALT and AST; <b>AST/ALT ratio > 2 </b>(secondary to pyridoxal-5-phosphate deficiency)<div>- Particularly raised γ-GT</div><div>- ALP can also be raised in late-stage disease</div><div>- Low albumin due to reduced <b>synthetic function </b>of the liver</div><div>- Elevated bilirubin in cirrhosis</div>
Why may the INR or prothrombin time be elevated in patients with alcoholic liver disease?
<div>- Reduced synthetic function of the liver</div>
- Impaired synthesis of coagulation factors<div>- Hence increased time to coagulate</div>
What investigation can be carried out in severe cases of alcoholic liver disease or in patients who are being considered for steroid therapy?
- <b>Liver biopsy</b>; assess for underlying cirrhosis, steatosis, neutrophil infiltration, hepatocytes ballooning, <b>Mallory-Denk bodies</b>
What are Mallory-Denk bodies?
“<span>- <b>Eosinophilic accumulations</b> of proteins within the cytoplasms of hepatocytes that may be seen in liver biopsies</span><div><span>- Whilst they have no pathological role in disease they are a <b>marker </b>of <b>alcohol-induced liver disease</b></span></div><div><img></img><span><b><br></br></b></span></div>”
Outline the key management principles for alcoholic liver disease?
- <b>Managing alcohol withdrawal</b>; CIWA Scoring, benzodiazepines, alcohol team input<div>- <b>Alcohol cessation</b></div><div>- <b>Hydration</b>; fliud resuscitation, HAS in patients with ascites</div><div>- <b>Nutrition</b>; high dose thiamine (Pabrinex)</div><div>- <b>Treatment of complications</b>; infection, portal hypertension and oesophageal varices</div><div>- <b>Pharmacolgical therapy</b>; corticosteriods (prednisolone, 40mg OD, 28-days)</div>
Outline some of the effects of alcohol withdrawal?
- 6-12hrs; tremor, sweating, headache, cravings, anxiety<div>- 12-24hrs; hallucinations</div><div>- 24-48hrs; seizures</div><div>- 24-72hrs; <b>delerium tremens</b></div>
What is delerium tremens?
- Medical emergency associated with alcohol withdrawal<div>- Potential fatal complication if left untreated (35% mortality)<br></br><div>- Signs</div><div> o Acute confusion</div><div> o Severe agitation</div><div> o Delusions and hallucinations</div><div> o Tremor</div><div> o Tachycardia</div><div> o Hypertension</div><div> o Hyperthermia</div><div> o Ataxia</div></div>
What causes delerium tremens?
<div>- Alcohol <b>stimulates GABA</b>nergic neurones and <b>inhbits</b><b>NMDA glutamate</b>rgic neurones</div>
- Chronic alcohol used results in an <b>up-regulation</b> of the <b>GABA</b> system and a <b>downregulation</b> of the <b>glutamate</b> system to balance these effects<div>- When alcohol is removed the <b>GABA system underfunctions</b> and the <b>glutamate system overfunctions</b></div><div>- This leads to <b>extreme excitability</b> in the brain leading to <b>excess adrenergic</b> stimulation</div>
What scoring system can be used to assess the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms and guide treatment?
<b><u>CIWA-Ar Tool;</u></b><div>- Scores > 9 require medication for withdrawal</div>
Outline some of the pharmacological managment options for patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal?
- <b>Chlordiazepoxide</b> (Librium); oral benzodiazepine, reducing regime (10-40mg every 1-4hrs) for 5-7 days<div>- <b>Thiamine suppliments</b>; intitially IV high dose (Pabrinex) followed by regular dose oral thiamine</div>
What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS)?
- Combination of Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s syndrome<div>- Caused by thiamine deficiency</div>
What is Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
- Medical emergency with a high mortality rate<div>- Confusion</div><div>- Oculomotor disturbances</div><div>- Ataxia</div><div>- Due to vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency</div>
What is Korsakoff’s syndrome?
- Irreversible complication seen in alcoholic liver disease<div>- Results in patient requiring full-time institutional care<br></br><div>- Memory impairement; both retrograde and anterograde</div></div><div>- Behavioural changes</div>
What is liver cirrhosis?
- Result of <b>chronic inflammation</b> and damage to liver cells<div>- Damaged liver cells are replaced by areas of <b>scar tissue</b> (fibrosis)</div><div>- These areas of fibrotic scar tissue form <b>nodules</b></div>
What is the main result of liver fibrosis?
- Scarring of the liver affects the structure and blood flow<div>- Results in <b>increased resistance </b>in the portal vessels</div><div>- Leads to <b>portal hypertension</b></div>
What are the most common causes of liver cirrhosis?
- Alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD)<div>- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)</div><div>- Hepatitis B (HEP-B)</div><div>- Hepatitis C (HEP-C)</div>
Outline some of the rarer causes of liver cirrhosis?
- Autoimmune hepatitis<div>- Primary biliary cirrhosis</div><div>- Haemachromatosis</div><div>- Wilson’s disease</div><div>- α1anti-trypsin deficiency</div><div>- Cystic fibrosis</div><div>- Drugs; amiodarone, methotrexate, sodium valproate</div>
Outline some of the clinical signs of liver cirrhosis?
- <b>Jaundice</b>; caused by raised bilirubin<div>- <b>Hepatomegaly</b>; in early stages, but liver may skrink as it becomes more cirrhotic</div><div>- <b>Splenomegaly</b>; due to portal hypertension</div><div>- <b>Spider naevi</b>; telangiectasias</div><div>- <b>Palmar erythema;</b>hyperdynamic circulation</div><div>- <b>Gynaecomastia and testicular atrophy</b>; endocrine dysfunction and raised oestrogens</div><div>- <b>Bruising</b>; due to abnormal clotting</div><div>- <b>Acites</b>; due to hypoalbuminaemia as a result of decreased synthetic function of liver</div><div>- <b>Caput medusae</b>; engorged superficial epigastric veins to due to portal hypertension</div><div>- <b>Asterixis</b>; flapping tremor in decompensated liver disease</div>
What blood tests can be used to investigate liver cirrhosis?
- <b>LFTs</b>; may be normal but all (AST, ALT, ALP, γGT and bilirubin) can be raised in decompensated disease<div>- <b>Albumin/Prothrombin time</b> (or INR); marker for synthetic function of liver</div><div>- <b>U&Es</b>; hyponatraemia indicates fluid retention which may be seen in severe disease</div><div>- <b>Creatinine</b>; may be derranged along with the urea in hepatorenal syndrome</div><div>- <b>Viral markers/autoantibodies</b>; other causes of cirrhosis</div><div>- <b>α-feroprotein</b>; hepatocellular carcinoma marker</div><div>- <b>Enhanced liver fibrosis</b> (ELF) test; first-line in NAFLD only</div>
What is the enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) blood test?
- Blood test for assessing the degree of fibrosis<div>- First-line in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (<b>NAFLD</b>)<b> only</b></div><div>- Assesses 3 markers of cirrhosis; hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen-III aminoterminal peptide (PIIINP) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloprotease-1 (TIMP-1)</div>
How is the ELF blood test used to indicate the degree of liver cirrhosis in patients with NAFLD?
- < 7.7; none to mild degree of fibrosis<div>- 7.7 - 9.8; moderate fibrosis</div><div>- > 9.8; severe fibrosis</div>
What imaging techniques can be used to investigate liver cirrhosis?
- <b>Liver ultrasound;</b> first-line<div>- <b>FibroScan</b>; check elasticity</div><div>- Endoscopy; if oesophageal varices suspected</div><div>- CT and MRI; look for HCC</div>
What are the indications for FibroScan investigations every 2 years in patients at risk of liver cirrhosis?
- Hepatitis C<div>- Heavy alcohol drinkers</div><div>- Diagnosed alcoholic liver disease</div><div>- NAFLD and evidence of fibrosis on ELF blood test</div><div>- Chronic hepatitis B</div>
What scoring system can be used to estimate the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis?
“<b><u>Child-Pugh Score;</u></b><div>- Patient scores 1-3 depending on 5 features</div><div>- Can be used to give 1-year survival rate</div><div>- Sum of values used to confer class of cirrhosis from A to C<br></br><div><img></img><br></br></div></div>”
How can the Child-Pugh Score be used to grade the degree of liver cirrhosis?
- Score <b>5-6; Class A, 100%</b> 1-year survival rate<div>- Score <b>7-9; Class B, 80%</b> 1-year survival rate</div><div>- Score <b>10-15; Class C, 45%</b> 1-year survival rate</div>
“Which<span>scoring system is recommended by NICE to be used every 6 months in patients with compensated cirrhosis in order to estimate 3-month mortality and guide transplant referral?</span>”
<b><u>MELD-Na Score;</u></b><div>- Dialysis</div><div>- Creatinine</div><div>- Bilirubin</div><div>- INR</div><div>- Na+</div>
Outline the general management principles for liver cirrhosis?
- Liver US and α-feroprotein every 6-months<div>- Endoscopy every 3 years</div><div>- High protein, low Na+diet</div><div>- MELD-Na Scoring every 6-months</div><div>- Consideration for liver tranplantation</div><div>- Management of complications</div>
Outline the common complications seen in liver cirrhosis?
- Malnutrition<div>- Portal hypertension, varices and variceal bleeding</div><div>- Ascites and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP)</div><div>- Hepatorenal syndrome</div><div>- Hepatic encephalopathy</div><div>- Hepatocellular carcinoma</div>
How can you advise patients to manage and prevent malnutrition that may occur as a result of liver cirrhosis?
- Regular meals every 2-3hrs<div>- Low Na+diet</div><div>- High protein and calorie diets</div><div>- Avoid alcohol</div>
What causes varices to develop as a result of liver cirrhosis?
- Increased resistance to blood flow in the liver<div>- Leads to portal hypertension</div><div>- Back-pressure causes porto-systemic anastamoses to engorge with blood to divert away from the portal system</div><div>- The swelling of these systemic vessels causes swollen, tortuous varices to develop</div>
Where are varices often found?
- Gastro-oesophageal junction<div>- Iliocaecal junction</div><div>- Rectum</div><div>- Anterior abdominal wall via the umbilical vein</div>
Outline the treatment options for stable varices?
- Propranolol; reduces the portal hypertension<div>- Elastic band ligation</div><div>- Injection of sclerosant agents; such as sodium tetradecyl sulfate</div><div>- Transjugular intra-hepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)</div>
What is a transjugular intra-hepatic porstosystemic shunt (TIPS) and how can it be used in the treatment of stable varices?
”- Interventional radiologist inserts wire under X-Ray guidance into jugular vein<div>- Wire guided into the liver via the hepatic vein</div><div>- Connection is made through the liver tissue between the hepatic vein and the hepatic portal vein<br></br></div><div>- Stent inserted into this connection</div><div>- Blood allowed to bypass the liver directly from the hepatic portal vein into the hepatic vein</div><div>- Relieves portal hypertension and the pressure in the varices</div><div><img></img><br></br></div>”
Outline the initial resuscitation steps involved in treating bleeding oesophageal varices?
- <b>Terlipressin</b>; AVP analogue that causes splanchnic vasoconstriction<div>- Prophylactic broad-spectrum <b>antibiotics</b>; prevent spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and reduce mortality</div><div>- Correct coagulopathy; vitamin K and FFP</div><div>- Consider intubation; ITU admission</div>
Outline the endoscopic management options in a patient with bleeding oesophageal varices?
- <b>Variceal band ligation</b> (VBL); using elastic bands placed around the varices<div>- <b>Endoscopic sclerotherapy</b>; used to cause inflammatory obliteration of the vessel</div>
What interventions can be considered in patients with bleeding oesophageal varices where pharmacological and/or endoscopic interventions have failed?
- <b>Sengstaken-Blakemore Tube</b>; inflatable tube inserted into the oesophagus to tamponade the bleeding varices, remove within 24hrs to avoid oesophageal necrosis<div>- <b>Oesophageal Stenting</b>; alternative to Sengstaken-Blakemore tube</div><div>- Transjugular Intra-hepatic Portosystemic Shunt (<b>TIPS</b>); in appropriately selected patients</div>
What kind of ascites is caused by liver cirrhosis?
- T<b>ransudative cirrhosis</b>; low protein content acsites
How can liver cirrhosis cause ascites?
Increased pressure in the portal system causes fluid to leak out of the capillaries in the liver and bowel into the peritoneal cavity
How can ascites secondary to liver cirrhosis be managed?
- Low Na+diet<div>- Aldosterone anagonists; spironolactone</div><div>- <b>Paracentesis</b>; ascitic tap or drain</div><div>- Prophylactic antibiotics; ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin in patients with less than 15g L-1 of protein in ascitic fluid</div><div>- Consider TIPS/transplantation referral in refractory ascites</div>
What is meant by refractory ascites?
“<span>Ascites that does not recede or that recurs shortly after therapeutic paracentesis, despite sodium restriction and diuretic treatment</span>”
How can spontaneous bacterial peritonitis present?
- Can be asymptomatic<div>- Fever</div><div>- Abdominal pain</div><div>- Derraged bloods; raised WBC, CRP, creatinine or in metabolic acidosis</div><div>- Ileus</div><div>- Hypotension</div>
What is the relation between spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) and liver cirrhosis?
- Around 10% of patients with liver cirrhosis will go on to develop SBP<div>- Infections easily develop in ascitic fluid without any clear cause</div>
What are the most common organisms that cause spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
- <i>Escherichia coli</i><div>- <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i></div><div>- Gram positive cocci; <i>staphylococcus</i> and <i>enterococcus</i></div>
Outline the management of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
- <b>Ascitic culture</b>; prior to antibiotic administration<div>- Antibiotics; <b>IV cephalosporin</b> such as cefotaxime</div>
What is hepatorenal syndrome?
“<div>- Liver cirrhosis causes <b>portal hypertension</b></div><div>- I<span>ncreased pressure in the portal system causes <b>fluid to leak out</b> of the capillaries in the liver and bowel and in to the peritoneal cavity.</span></div><div>- Leads to a loss of blood volume in other areas of the circulation, including the kidneys</div><div>- This leads <b>hypotension in the kidney </b>and activation of the renin-angiotensin system.</div><div>- This causes <b>renal vasoconstriction</b>, which combined with low circulation volume leads to <b>starvation</b> of blood to the kidney</div><div>- This leads to rapid <b>deteriorating kidney function</b></div><div>- Fatal within a week or so unless liver transplant is performed</div>”
What is hepatic encephalopathy?
- Portosystemic encephalopathy<div>- Caused by build up of brain toxins as a result of deteriorating liver function</div><div>- Ammonia in particular is raised for two reasons; decreased metabolism and direct entry into systemic circulation due to portosystemic anastomoses</div>
How may hepatic encephalopathy present?
- Reduced consciousness<div>- Confusion</div><div>- Changes to personality and mood</div>
What are the preciptating factors for hepatic encephalopathy?
- Constipation<div>- Electrolytes disturbances</div><div>- Infection</div><div>- GI bleeding</div><div>- High protein diet</div><div>- Medications; sedatives</div>
How can hepatic encephalopathy be managed?
- Laxatives (lactulose); promote excretion of ammonia, may require initial enema<div>- Antibiotics (rifaycin); reduced intestinal bacteria producing ammonia</div><div>- Nutritional support; NG tube insertion</div>
What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
- Metabolic syndrome<div>- Chronic health condition due to defects in processing and storing energy</div><div>- Increases risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes</div><div>- Characterised by fatty deposits in the liver</div>
Although it doesnt cause problems initially, what is the concern with NAFLD?
- Can progress to hepatitis and cirrhosis<div>- Upto 30% of adults have NAFLD</div>
What are the stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
- Stage 1; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)<div>- Stage 2; non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)</div><div>- Stage 3; liver fibrosis</div><div>- Stage 4; liver cirrhosis</div>
What are the risk factors for developing NAFLD?
- Obesity<div>- Poor diet</div><div>- Low activity levels</div><div>- T2DM</div><div>- Hypercholesterolaemia</div><div>- Middle age onwards</div><div>- Smoking</div><div>- Hypertension</div>
How may non-alcoholic fatty liver disease present?
NAFLD is often picked up by chance following <b>derranged liver function blood tests</b>
What should be carried out in all patients who are found to have new derranged LFTs?
“<b><u>Non-Invasive Liver Screen;</u></b><div>- US liver</div><div>- Hepatitis B and C serology</div><div>- Autoantibodies; autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis</div><div>- Caeruloplasmin; Wilson’s disease</div><div>- α1anti-trypsin levels</div><div>- Ferritin and transferrin saturation; hereditory haemachromatosis</div><div><img></img><br></br></div>”
What is the first-line recommended investigation for assessing fibrosis in NAFLD?
<b><u>ELF Blood Test;</u></b><div>- Assesses 3 markers of cirrhosis</div><div>- Hyaluronic acid (HA), procollagen-III aminoterminal peptide (PIIINP) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloprotease-1 (TIMP-1)</div>
How is the ELF blood test used to indicate the degree of liver cirrhosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)?
- < 7.7; none to mild degree of fibrosis<div>- 7.7 - 9.8; moderate fibrosis</div><div>- > 9.8; severe fibrosis</div>
What is the second line recommended assessment for liver fibrosis?
<b><u>NAFLD Fibrosis Score;</u></b><div>- Helpful in ruling out fibrosis</div><div>- Based on age, BMI, liver enzymes, platelets, albumin and diabetes</div><div>- Used where ELF is not available</div>
What is the third-line investigation that is performed in NAFLD where the ELF blood test of NAFLD fibrosis score indicates fibrosis?
FibroScan; can be used to assess the elasticity of the liver to assess the degree of cirrhosis
Outline the management options for patients with NAFLD?
- Weight loss<div>- Exercise</div><div>- Smoking cessation</div><div>- Control co-mobidities; diabetes, HTN and cholesterol</div><div>- Avoid alcohol</div><div>- Referral to liver specialist; patients with fibrosis (can prescribe vitamin E or pioglitazone)</div>
What is hepatitis?
Inflammation of the liver
How can hepatitis inflammation vary?
- Low grade, chronic inflammation<div>- Acute and/or severe inflammation</div><div>- Can lead to liver necrosis and liver failure</div>
Outline the common causes of hepatitis?
- Alcoholic hepatitis<div>- Non-alcoholic liver disease</div><div>- Viral hepatitis</div><div>- Autoimmune hepatitis</div><div>- Drug induced hepatitis; paracetamol overdose</div>
How can hepatitis present?
- May be asymptomatic<div>- If symptomatic these symptoms tend to be non-specific</div>
What non-specific symptoms may be associated with hepatitis?
- Abdominal pain<div>- Fatigue</div><div>- Pruritis (itching)</div><div>- Muscle and joint aches</div><div>- Nausea and vomiting</div><div>- Jaundice</div><div>- Fever (viral causes)</div>
What common biochemical changes are seen in the liver function tests of patients with hepatitis?
“<b><u>Derranged LFTs; the hepatitic picture</u></b><div>- High transaminases; <b>elevated ALT/AST</b></div><div>- Proportionally <b>lower rise in ALP</b></div><div>- Bilirubin may also be raised</div>”
Which virus is the most common cause of viral hepatitis?
Hepatitis A
What type of viral genome does hepatitis A virus (HAV) have?
Non-enveloped ssRNA
How is hepatitis A virus transmitted?
- Faecal-oral route<div>- Contaminated food/water</div>
How can hepatitis A infections present?
- Nausea/vomiting<div>- Anorexia</div><div>- Jaundice</div><div>- Cholestasis</div>
What is meant by cholestasis?
Slowing of bile through the biliary tree
What are the symtpoms of cholestasis?
- Dark brown urine and pale stools<div>- Due to excretion of bilirubin in urine</div><div>- Moderate hepatomegaly</div>
Outline the management of heptatitis A?
- Resolves without treatment in 1-3months<div>- Management with basic analgesia</div>
What public health measures are used to prevent hepatitis A infection?
- Vaccination<div>- Notifiable disease</div>
What type of viral genome does hepatitis B virus (HBV) have?
Enveloped partially dsDNA
How is hepatitis B transmitted?
- Direct contract with bodily fluids<div>- Sexual intercourse</div><div>- Needle sharing</div><div>- Contaminated household products (toothbrushes etc)</div><div>- Minor cuts or abrasions</div><div>- Vertical transmission; from mother to child during pregnancy</div>
What are the two different prognoses for patients infected with hepatitis B virus?
- Most (90%) fully recover from the infection within 2 months<div>- Latent infections; some (10%) can go on to become <b>chronic hepatitis B carriers</b></div>
What are the key protein products of the HBV viral genome?
- Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (<b>HBsAg</b>); needed for the construction of the outer HBV envelope<div>- Hepatitis B Core Antigen (<b>HBcAg</b>); composed within the nucleocapsid core of the virus</div><div>- Hepatitis B E Antigen (<b>HBeAg</b>); acts as an immune decoy to promote viral persistence, marker of viral replication and infectivity</div><div>- <b>DNA Polymerase</b>; involved in the synthesis of DNA molecules, possesses reverse transcriptase activity</div><div>- <b>X protein</b>; transcriptional regulator that promotes cell cycle progression</div>
Which hepatitis B protein indicates active infection?
HBsAg
Which hepatitis B protein indicates viral replication and high infectivity?
HBeAg
Which proteins can be assayed for to indicate past or current HBV infection?
HBcAb
Which proteins can be assayed for to indicate vaccination or past or current HBV infection?
HBsAb
Which hepatitis B virus components can be used to measure viral load?
Hepatitis B Virus DNA (HBV DNA)
When screening for hepatitis B infection, which protein should be assayed for to indicate previous infection?
HBcAb
When screening for hepatitis B infection, which protein should be assayed for to indicate active infection?
HBsAg
If a patient is found to be positive for HBcAb and/or HBsAg, which tests should be carried out next?
- HBeAg; indicates viral replication and infectivity<div>- HBV DNA; indicates viral load</div>
Which hepatitis B virus antigen is given in the vaccine against HBV, what is the significance of this?
- HBsAg is given in the vaccine<div>- A patient positive for HBsAb could either have been vaccinated OR be infected</div>
Which test can be used to distinguish acute, chronic and past infection of HBV?
HBcAb
Which type of immunoglobulins to HBcAg will be elevated in an acute infection and low in a chronic infection with HBV?
IgM variants of HBcAb will be elevated in acute infections with HBV
Which type of immunoglobulins to HBcAg will be elevated in a past infection with HBV?
IgG variants of HBcAb will be elevated in past infections
What does the presence of the HBeAg protein indicate?
- Patient is an an acute phase of the infection where the virus is actively replicating<div>- Levels of HBeAg indicate infectivity</div>
What does the absence of HBeAg but presence of HBeAb indicate?
- Patient has been through a phase where the virus was replicating but has now stopped<div>- These patients are less infectious</div>
Which HBV antigen are patients tested for following vaccination?
HBsAb
Outline the management options for patients with hepatitis B infections?
- Screen for other BBVs and STIs; HAV and HIV<div>- Refer to gastroenterology/hepatology/infectious diseases</div><div>- Notify PHE</div><div>- Stop smoking and alcohol</div><div>- Educate about reducing transmission</div><div>- Test for complications; FibroScan and USS</div><div>- Antiviral medication to slow progression</div><div>- Liver transplantation in end-stage disease</div>
What kind of viral genome does the hepatitis C virus (HCV) have?
Enveloped ssRNA
How is hepatitis C virus spread?
Blood and bodily fluids only
How can heptitis C virus infections be treated?
- No vaccine<div>- Direct acting antiviral medications can cure</div>
Outline the different prognoses for hepatitis C infections?
- 25% make a full recovery<div>- 75% develop chronic infection</div>
What are the main complications of hepatitis C infection?
- Liver cirrhosis<div>- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)</div>
How can hepatitis C virus infection be tested for?
- Hepatitis C virus antibody is used to screen for potential infections<div>- Hepatitis C virus RNA testing can be used to confirm diagnosis as well as calculate viral load and genotype</div>
How can hepatitis C infections be treated?
<b><u>Direct acting antivirals (DAAs)</u></b><div>- Cure 90% of patients</div><div>- Simeprevir</div><div>- Sofosbuvir</div>
What is significant about the hepatitis D virus?
- It is a defective virus<div>- Requires co-infection with hepatitis B</div><div>- Attaches to and cannot survive without HBsAg</div>
What kind of viral genome does hepatitis D virus have?
Enveloped ssRNA