Jaundice and Chronic Liver Disease Flashcards

1
Q

what does the liver synthesise?

A
> clotting factors
>bile acids
> carbohydrates
> proteins
> lipids
> hormones
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

in what way is liver involved in detoxification?

A

> produces urea from ammonia
detoxifies drugs
metabolises bilirubin
breaks down insulin and hormones

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what does the liver store?

A

> glycogen
vitamin A, D, B12 AND k
copper
iron

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is bilirubin generated by

A

> senescent RBC’s in spleen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

why may bilirubin levels be elevated?

A

> haemolysis
parenchymal damage
obstruction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what is bilirubin initially bound to?

A

albumin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what are amino transferases?

A

enzymes present in hepatocytes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

where is alkaline phosphatase present?

A

> bile ducts
bone
placenta
intestines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

with what is alkaline phosphatase elevated?

A

obstruction or liver infiltration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what can elevate gamma GT levels?

A

> alcohol use

> NSAID’s

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what does albumin test for?

A

synthetic function of the liver

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what do low albumin levels suggest?

A

> chronic liver disease
kidney disorders
malnutrition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what does prothrombin time test tell you?

A

the degree of liver dysfunction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what tests are carried out to assess transplant need?

A

> prothrombin time
creatinine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what is platelet count an indirect marker for?

A

portal hypertension

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

why would platelet count by low in cirrhotic patients?

A

cirrhosis results in splenomegaly and platelet counts are low due to hypersplenism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what are general symptoms of liver failure?

A

> jaundice
ascites
variceal bleeding
hepatic encephalopathy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

define jaundice

A

yellowing of the skin, sclerae and other tissues due to excess circulating bilirubin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

at what total plasma bilirubin level is jaundice detectable?

A

levels exceeding 34 umol/L

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is the differential diagnosis for jaundice?

A

carotenemia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what could cause pre-hepatic jaundice?

A

> Increased quantity of bilirubin (Haemolysis)

> Impaired transport

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

what are the reasons for hepatic jaundice?

A

> Defective uptake of bilirubin
Defective conjugation
Defective excretion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

what classification of jaundice is caused by defective transport of bilirubin by the biliary ducts?

A

post hepatic jaundice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what would be the history of prehepatic jaundice?

A

> anaemia (fatigue, dyspnoea, chest pain)

> acholuric jaundice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

what would you expect to find in a history of someone who has hepatic jaundice?

A

> liver disease risk factors (drugs)

> decompensation (ascites, variceal bleed, encephalopathy)

26
Q

what would you expect to see in a history of someone with posthepatic jaundice?

A

> abdominal pain

> cholectasis

27
Q

what would you see in clinical examination in prehepatic jaundice?

A

> pallor

> splenomegaly

28
Q

what would you see in clinical examination in hepatic jaundice?

A

> spider naevi, gynaecomastia
ascites
asterixis

29
Q

what sort of jaundice would you feel a palpable gallbladder?

A

post hepatic jaundice

30
Q

what investigations would be carried out in jaundice?

A

> liver screen

> ultrasound of the abdomen

31
Q

what does a liver screen test?

A
> hepatitis b and c serology
> serum immunoglobulins
> copper levels
> ferritin and transferritin saturation
> alpha  antitrypsin
> fasting glucose and lipid profile
32
Q

why is ultrasound of the abdomen the most important test in jaundice?

A

> differentiates extrahepatic and intrahepatic obstruction
delineates site of obstruction
delineates cause of obstruction
documents evidence of portal hypertension
preliminary staging of disease extent

33
Q

why would a MRCP be better than a ERCP?

A

> no radiation
no complication risk
can image outwith the ducts

34
Q

when is therapeutic ERCP used?

A

> dilated biliary tree (visible stones, tumour)
acute gallstone pancreatitis
stenting biliary obstruction
post-operative biliary complications

35
Q

what complications are associated with ERCP?

A

> pancreatitis
cholangitis
shpincterotomy (bleeding, perforation)

36
Q

when is percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram carried out?

A

for hilar stenting when ERCP is not possible due to duodenal obstruction or previous surgery

37
Q

what is the disadvantage of using percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram instead of ERCP?

A

it is more invasive

38
Q

what is endoscopic ultrasound used for?

A

> characterising pancreatic masses
staging tumours
fine needle aspirate of tumours and cysts
excluding biliary microcalculi

39
Q

define chronic liver disease

A

liver disease that persists beyond 6 months

40
Q

name some things that can cause liver cirrhosis

A
> alcohol
> autoimmune disease
> haemochromatosis
> NAFLD
> Drugs
> cystic fibrosis
> vascular problems
41
Q

what pathological changes occur in the liver due to cirrhosis?

A

the injury to the liver causes the sinusoids to become blocked, pressure increases in them and blood cannot flow. bypass channels are created to go around them.
hepatocytes apoptose and fibrosis healing occurs.

42
Q

how may compensated cirrhosis present?

A

> abnormality in liver function tests and routinely detected in screening

43
Q

how may decompensated cirrhosis present?

A

> ascites
variceal bleeding
hepatic encephalopathy

44
Q

what are the clinical features of ascites?

A

> shifting dullness
corroborating evidence (spider neavi, palmar erythema, abdominal veins, fetor hepaticus, umbilical nodule, jvp elevation, flank hematoma)

45
Q

what should all patients who have new onset ascites have?

A

diagnostic paracentesis:
> protein and albumin concentration
> cell count
> SAAG serum ascites albumin gradient

46
Q

in what conditions would SAAG levels be low?

A

> malignancy
exudative
tuberculosis

47
Q

what is optional to analyse in ascetic fluid?

A
> culture
> glucose
> LD
> amylase
> gram stain
48
Q

in what conditions would SAAG levels be high?

A

> portal hypertension
constrictive pericarditis
mass liver metastasis

49
Q

what are the treatment options for ascites?

A
> diuretics
> large volume parcentesis
> TIPS (shunt)
> aquaretics
> liver transplantation
50
Q

what causes varices?

A

portal hypertension

51
Q

where are varices found?

A
at porto-systemic anastomoses:
> skin
> oesophagus/gastric
> rectal
> posterior abdominal wall
> stomal
52
Q

what is the management of varices?

A
> resuscitation
> blood transfusion
> emergency endoscopy
> endoscopic band ligation
> sengstaken-blakemore tube for uncontrolled bleeding
53
Q

what is hepatic encephalopathy?

A

confusion due to liver disease

54
Q

how is hepatic encephalopathy graded?

A

from 1-4

55
Q

what can hepatic encephalopathy precipitate from?

A
> GI bleed
> infection
> constipation
> dehydration
> sedation (medication)
56
Q

what are the signs of hepatic encephalopathy?

A

> confusion
flap tremor
asterixis
foetor hepaticus

57
Q

how do you manage hepatic encephalopathy?

A

> treat underlying cause
laxatives
broad spectrum non-absorbed antibiotics: neomycin, rifaximin
repeated admission=transplant

58
Q

how does hepatocellular carcinoma present?

A
> abdominal mass
> abdominal pain
> weight loss
> bleeding
> decompensation of liver disease
59
Q

how do you diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma?

A

> tumour markers: AFP
ultrasound, ct, mri
(liver biopsy rarely done)

60
Q

what is the treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma?

A
> hepatic resection
> liver transplantation
> chemotherapy
> local ablative treatment (alcohol injection, radiofrequent ablation)
> sorafenib
> hormonal therapy ( tamoxifen)