Hepatology and Friends Flashcards
What is the definition of acute liver failure?
Decline in hepatic function where the liver loses the ability to repair or regenerate, characterised by jaundice, coagulopathy, and hepatic encephalopathy
What is the aetiology of acute liver failure?
Paracetamol overdose, alcohol, medications, infections, neoplasms, metabolic conditions, vascular conditions, autoimmune hepatitis
What is the clinical presentation of acute liver failure?
Jaundice, hepatic encephalopathy (confusion, altered mental status, asterixis (flapping tremor), and coma), hepatomegaly, ascites
What are the investigations of acute liver failure?
o LFTs: hyperbilirubinemia, elevated liver enzymes
o Prothrombin time: elevated (INR > 1.5)
o FBC: leukocytosis, anaemia, thrombocytopenia
o Liver biopsy: hepatocellular necrosis
What is the treatment of acute liver failure?
Treat underlying cause, IV mannitol (if raised ICP), lactulose (increases ammonia uptake in encephalopathy), liver transplantation
What is the definition of cholelithiasis?
Formation of gallstones in the gallbladder
What is the aetiology of cholelithiasis?
Bile supersaturated with cholesterol, gallbladder hypomotility
What is the clinical presentation of cholelithiasis?
Biliary colic (Right upper quadrant pain, which is worse after fatty meals, and may radiate to the epigastrium and back)
What are the investigations of cholelithiasis?
o Serum LFTs: elevated alkaline phosphatase, elevated bilirubin
o Abdominal ultrasound: stones in the gallbladder or bile duct with or without bile duct dilation
What is the treatment of cholelithiasis?
Opioid analgesia, IV fluids and nil by mouth, lithotripsy (fragment stones), laparoscopic cholecystectomy
What is the definition of acute cholecystitis?
Acute inflammation of the gallbladder
What is the aetiology of acute cholecystitis?
Cystic duct obstruction, bile inspissation, bile stasis
What is the clinical presentation of acute cholecystitis?
Right upper quadrant pain, fever, Murphy’s sign (tenderness which is worse on inspiration)
What are the investigations of acute cholecystitis?
o FBC: elevated WCC
o CRP: elevated
o Serum LFTs: elevated alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin
o Abdominal ultrasound: gallstones, pericholecystic fluid, distended gallbladder, thickened gallbladder wall
What is the treatment of acute cholecystitis?
Opioid analgesia, IV fluids and nil by mouth, prophylactic antibiotics, laparoscopic cholecystectomy
What is the definition of ascending cholangitis?
Infection of the biliary tree
What is the pathophysiology of ascending cholangitis?
Obstruction of the common bile duct results in bacterial seeding of the biliary tree
What is the clinical presentation of ascending cholangitis?
Right upper quadrant pain, fever, jaundice (dark urine, pale stools, pruritus), altered mental state, hypotension
What are the investigations of ascending cholangitis?
o FBC: elevated WCC
o CRP: elevated
o Serum LFTs: elevated alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin
o Abdominal ultrasound: dilated bile duct, common bile duct stones
o Magnetic resonance cholangiography: mass impinging on biliary tree, stricture, and/or choledocholithiasis
What is the treatment of ascending cholangitis?
IV antibiotics, fluids, opioid analgesia, drainage of the biliary system with ERCP, stenting, laparoscopic cholecystectomy
What is the definition of primary biliary cholangitis?
Progressive bile duct damage and eventual loss
What is the pathophysiology of primary biliary cholangitis?
Autoimmune destruction of biliary epithelial cells lining the small intra-hepatic bile ducts
What is the clinical presentation of primary biliary cholangitis?
Asymptomatic, hepatomegaly, pruritus, fatigue
What are the investigations of primary biliary cholangitis?
o ESR: elevated
o Serum LFTs: elevated alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyl transferase, and bilirubin
o Anti-mitochondrial antibody immunofluorescence: present
o Liver biopsy: non suppurative cholangitis of interlobular and septal bile ducts, granulomatous lymphocytic infiltration of portal triad
What is the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis?
Ursodeoxycholic acid (slows progression), supplementation of fat-soluble vitamins (A/D/E/K), methotrexate, liver transplantation
How does primary sclerosing cholangitis differ with primary biliary cholangitis?
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with pANCA and inflammatory bowel disease
What is the definition of acute pancreatitis?
Acute inflammation of the pancreas associated with acinar cell injury with local and systemic inflammatory responses
What is the aetiology of acute pancreatitis?
Idiopathic, gallstones, ethanol, trauma, steroids, mumps, autoimmune, scorpion venom, hyperlipidaemia, hypercalcaemia, ERCP, drugs
What is the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis?
Trypsinogen is converted to trypsin within the pancreas due to increased intracellular calcium which leads to a cascade of zymogen activation. The enzymes then undergo autodigestion of the pancreatic tissue. This triggers the recruitment of inflammatory cells and the release of inflammatory mediators
What is the clinical presentation of acute pancreatitis?
Epigastric or central abdominal pain (radiates to the back, sitting forward may relieve), nausea and vomiting, anorexia
What are the investigations of acute pancreatitis?
o Serum amylase or lipase: 3 times the upper limit of the normal range
o CT: diffuse or segmental enlargement of the pancreas with irregular contour and obliteration of the peripancreatic fat, necrosis, or pseudocysts
What is the treatment of acute pancreatitis?
Opioid analgesia, IV fluids and nil by mouth
What is the definition of chronic pancreatitis?
Chronic inflammatory process of the pancreas, due to structure changes such as fibrosis, atrophy, and calcification
What is the aetiology of chronic pancreatitis?
Alcohol
What is the pathophysiology of chronic pancreatitis?
Inappropriate activation of enzymes within the pancreas leads to precipitation of protein plugs within the duct lumen, forming a nidus for calcification. This causes a ductal obstruction and leads to ductal hypertension, and therefore pancreatic damage
What is the clinical presentation of chronic pancreatitis?
Epigastric pain (radiates to the back, sitting forward may relieve, worse upon eating and alcohol consumption), steatorrhea, weight loss and malnutrition
What are the investigations of chronic pancreatitis?
o Serum amylase and lipase: may be elevated but in advance disease, there may not be sufficient residual acinar cells to produce elevation
o Faecal elastase: low
o CT: pancreatic calcifications, focal or diffuse enlargement of the pancreas, ductal dilation, and/or vascular complications
What is the treatment of chronic pancreatitis?
Analgesia, lifestyle modifications
What is the definition of alcoholic liver disease?
Three stages of liver damage: fatty liver (steatosis), alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation and necrosis), and alcoholic liver cirrhosis
What is the pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease?
Ethanol metabolism in the liver generates high levels of NADH which stimulates fatty acid synthesis and production of triglycerides, leading to steatosis. TNF-alpha release from Kupffer cells causes the release of reactive oxygen species which leads to hepatocyte injury and necro-inflammatory activity. Ongoing, this causes liver fibrosis which may progress to cirrhosis.