Hepatitis Flashcards
Definition of acute hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver <6 months
Causes of hepatitis (8)
- Viral
- Alcohol
- Cholestasis
- Autoimmune
- Drugs
- Ischaemia
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver
- Giant cell
Types of viral hepatitis
- Transmission
- Antigens
- (Incubation period)
- Severity, chronicity
- Vaccine
Alcoholic hepatitis
- Risk factors (2)
- Histopathological features (4)
Risk factors
- Chronic alcoholism (>80g per day for men, >40g for women)
- Hepatitis C
Histopathological features
- Micronodular cirrhosis
- Fatty changes
- Mallory bodies
- Chicken wire fibrosis
Drug-induced hepatitis
- Risk factors (3)
- Drug classes causing hepatitis (4)
Risk factors
- Female sex
- Advanced age
- Genetics
Drugs
- Paracetamol
- Antibiotics
- CNS drugs
- Herbal remedies, mushroom poisoning
Risk factors for non-alcholic fatty liver (4)
- Metabolic syndrome
- Obesity
- Hyperlipidaemia
- Diabetes
Symptoms of acute hepatitis (3)
- Loss of appetite + aversion to smoking in smokers
- Jaundice
- Non-specific viral symptoms: fever, malaise, myalgia, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
Viral hepatitis is more likely to be asymptomatic in children. Symptomatic individuals present after a convalescent stage of 7-10 days, with total illness lasting weeks.
Symptoms of chronic hepatitis
Often asymptomatic. Otherwise, nonspecific (maliase, loss of appetite, fatigue, etc)
Signs of hepatitis (3)
- Jaundice
- Tender hepatomegaly and splenomegaly
- Enlarged lymph nodes (5%)
Signs and symptoms of cirrhosis
- Weight loss
- Easy bruising/bleeding
- Peripheral oedema, ascites
- Haematemesis (oseophageal varices)
- Hepatic encephalopathy (confusion, coma)
- Hepatorenal syndrome (kidney failure)
Interpretation of liver biochemistry and liver function tests
- ALT
- AST
- AST:ALT ratio
- ALP
- GGT
- Bilirubin
- Bile acids
- Albumin
- Prothrombin time
- Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
Hepatitis B serology
- 3 markers and their interpretation
Hepatitis B serology interpretation