Jaundice and chronic liver disease Flashcards
What are the roles of the liver?
Synthesis
Detoxification
Immune function
Storage funtion
What does the liver synthesise?
Clotting factors Bile acids Carbohydrates Proteins Lipids Hormones
How is the liver involved in detoxification?
Urea production from ammonia
Detoxification of drugs
Bilirubin metabolism
Breakdown of insulin and hormones
What is the immune role of the liver?
Combating infections
Clearing blood pf particles and infections
Neutralising and destroying all drugs and toxicities
What does the liver store?
Glycogen
Vit A, D, B12, K
Copper and iron
What is bilirubin?
Byproduct of ham metabolism generated by old/dying RBCs in the spleen
What is the cycle of bilirubin?
Initially bound to albumin- unconjugated form
Liver then solubilises it to its conjugated form
What can cause elevated bilirubin?
Prehepatic- haemolytic
Hepatic- parenchymal damage
Post hepatic- obstruction
What are aminotransferases?
Enzymes in hepatocytes
Present in parenchyma
What does elevated aminotransferase indicate?
Parenchymal damage
What does a high AST/ALT ratio indicate?
Alcoholic liver disease
What is alkaline phosphatase?
Enzyme of the bile ducts
Not specific to liver
When is alkaline phosphatase raised?
Obstruction of liver infiltration
Where is alkaline phosphatase present?
Liver
Bone
Intestines
Placenta
What is gamma GT?
Non specific liver enzyme
What is gamma GT used for?
To confirm high alkaline ohoshatase levels are due to liver pathology
What is albumin?
Protein produced by liver
What does low albumin indicate?
Chronic liver disease
What does prothrombin time indicate?
Degree of liver damage
What is prothrombin time used to calculate?
Stage of liver disease and priority of transplant patients
What is creatinine used to determine?
Kidney function and survival odds from liver disease
When is the platelet count low?
In cirrhotic patients as a result of hypersplenism
Indirect marker of portal hypertension
What is jaundice?
Yellowing of skin, sclerae and other tissues due to excess circulating bilirubin
What are the 3 forms of jaundice?
Pre hepatic
Hepatic
Post hepatic