Liver Flashcards
ALT/AST which is more specific for liver damage?
ALT
when levels are raised what do these ratios indicate?
AST:ALT = 1
AST:ALT > 2.5
AST:ALT < 1
AST:ALT = 1
Ischaemia
AST:ALT > 2.5
Alcoholic hepatitis
AST:ALT < 1
High ALT for hepatocellular damage e.g. paracetamol OD with hepatocellular necrosis, viral hepatitis, ischaemic necrosis, toxic hepatitis
What are ALP and GGT elevated in
cholestasis
What is associated with cholestasis and malignant hepatocellular damage + marker of bone turnover
ALP
What is sensitive to alcohol ingestion
GGT
Name 2 inherited causes of liver disease
Hereditary haemochromatosis
Deficiency of iron regulatory hormone hepcidin
Wilson’s disease
Hepatolenticular degeneration - accumulation of copper at tissues
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Affects liver and lungs (emphysema)
Gene in hereditary haemochromatosis?
HFE
AR
Mech in Heerditary haemochromatosis
Increased intestinal absorption of iron leading to accumulation in tissues
Sx of hereditary haemochromatosis
Early: fatigue, weakness, arthralgia, erectile dysfunction
Late: skin bronzing, diabetes, cirrhosis (liver signs), impotence, cardiac arrhythmia
Name 3 Ix in Hereditary haemochromatosis
*Iron studies
-Serum ferritin (high) - lots of iron in cells
-Transferrin saturation (>45%) - lots of iron in blood specific
HFE genetic testing
LFTs
MRI - iron overloaded liver
Liver biopsy with Perl’s stain *Liver fibroscan/transient elastography
ECG/ECHO for cardiomyopathy
Why is serum ferritin not very specific
low specificity as acute phase protein. other things can make it go up
Mx of hereditary haemochromatosis
Venesection/phlebotomy 4-500ml weekly
monitor ferritin
low iron diet
liver transplant - when decompensated
Wilson genetics
AR
ATP7B gene
Mech in wilson - where is copper deposited?
Disorder of biliary excretion of copper
liver , basal ganglia
Name 3 Ix in wilsons
copper studies - low, urinary copper ^^^
slit lamp - kayser fletcher
liver biopsy
MRI - BASAL GANGLIA
name 3 Mx of wilsons
Penicillamine
zinc - reduces copper absorption
low copper diet (avoid mushrooms, liver, chocolate, nuts)
Monitor hepatic function, renal function, FBC and clotting
Avoid alcohol and hepatotoxic drugs
2 organs affected in A1AT deficiency
Lung
Dyspnoea, wheezing, cough i.e. COPD (lung bases commonly)
Liver
Hepatitis, cirrhosis (HCC), fibrosis
Ix in A1AT
Serum A1AT (low) -> phenotyping required
CXR and LuFT
LFT and biopsy
Mx of A1AT ? what do you monitor?
Avoid smoking / alcohol
Mx of COPD
Monitor LFTs , treat cirrhosis, screen for HCC
4 characteristics of liver failure
Hepatic encephalopathy
Jaundice
Abnormal bleeding
Ascites
Name 3 DDx of liver failure
Paracetamol, alcohol, medications (co-amoxiclav, cipro, doxy, erythro, methotrexate, gold)
Viral hepatitis, EBV, CMV
HCC
Wilson’s A1ATd
Ischaemia, Budd-Chiari
AI liver disease
what happens in hepatic encephalopathy
In liver failure ammonia builds up in circulation and crosses BBB. Astrocytes clear this turning glutamate to glutamine.
Glutamine excess causes fluid shift to cells -> cerebral oedema.
Name 3 signs of chronic liver disease
caput medusae
Finger clubbing
Leukonychia
Asterixis (liver flap)
Palmar erythema
Spider naevi/scratch marks
Shifting dullness
Bleeding
drug for paracetamol OD
n-acetylcysteine
Mx of high amonia
lactulose + neomycin
mx of raised ICP
mannitol
Mx of ascites
restrict fluid - low salt
diuretics
Drain and Human Albumin Solution
What are ascites
collection of fluid in peritoneal cavity
Most common cause of ascites? Name 2 others
75% - cirrhosis
(decreased albumin + portal hypertension)
Malignancy - GI / Ovarian (meigs)
Heart failure
Nephrotic
Ix in ascites, name 3
Abdo USS
CXR (HF / pleural effusion)
LFT
Shifting dullness
triad OE in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Who gets it?
guarding, rebound tenderness, pain on palpation
It is bacterial peritonitis secondary to ascites in people with liver cirrhosis
Name 3 Ix in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
FBC - *leuocytosis
LFT, *U+E (renal impairment), blood cultures
*Diagnostic paracentesis - for culture and amylase
Imaging - upright AXR and CXR
Name 1 organism commonly causing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and mx
E.coli, enterococci
IV ceftriaxone
In end stage liver failure 40% develop hepatorenal syndrome … general mx
2 types
Long term Mx
Type 1 - rapid - survival ~2 weeks
terlipressin with albumin
Type 2 - last 6 months
TIPS
Admit to HDU
Monitor fluids
Stop nephrotoxic drugs /diuretics
TRANSPLANT
What happens in advanced/decompensated cirrhosis
oedema, ascites, bruising, poor memory, bleeding varices
Decompensated = caput medusae, hepatic encephalopathy, ascites
Name 3 cutaneous signs of cirrhosis
What is cirrhosis?
NECROSIS –> FIBROSIS –> NODULAR FORMATION
FLAPS
(finger clubbing, leukonychia, asterixis, palmar erythema, spider naevi, scratch (pruritus), jaundice, dupuytren’s
Name 3 causes of portal HTN
Pre hepatic
Portal vein thrombosis, splenic vein thrombosis, extrinsic compression e.g. tumour
Hepatic
Cirrhosis, hepatitis, schistosomiasis, granuloma (sarcoid)
Post hepatic
Budd-Chiari, RHF/CHF, constrictive pericarditis
General Mx of cirrhosis? what 2 conditions do you monitor for?
Adequate nutrition and alcohol abstinence, exercise for muscle wasting
Oesophageal varices and HCC
Ix for portal HTN
Name 3
AUSS for liver/spleen/ascites
Doppler ultrasound - blood flows
Spiral CT for portal vasculature
Endoscopy for oesophageal varices
Portal pressure by hepatic venous pressure gradient (normal < 5, varices > 10)
Mx of portal HTN
Reduce portal venous pressure
-BBs, TIPS (Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt)
Primary prevention of varicies in portal HTN AND prevention of vatical bleeding once you have them
propranolol
Key Ix in varicies
endoscopy (early)
[clotting, group, cross match]
Mx in varicies
terlipressin
oesophageal -> band ligation
gastric -> endoscopic injection of N-butyl-2cyanoacretate
What if mx of varicies doesnt work
Minnesota tube then —> Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt
what causes Sudden RUQ pain + rapidly developing ascites
[+ hepatomegaly + jaundice + renal involvement (50%)]
Key Ix?
budd-chiari syndrome
[occlusion of the hepatic veins]
doppler ultrasound
Mx of budd-chiari
Treat asicites - eg TIPS
If due to chronic inferior vena cava thrombosis -> warfarin
Usual cause of liver Ca
only 10% primary
Rest are from stomach, colon, lung, breast
Usual cause of primary HCC
Hep c
[HC causes HCC]
What is screened in high risk of HCC Eg. HBV ± cirrhosis and HCV/alcoholic cirrhosis
USS
AFP
name 2 methods of liver Ca prevention
HBV vaccine,
reduced alcohol,
screen those with cirrhosis
Name 3 causes of fatty liver
metabolic syndrome
PCOS
alcohol
HBV/HCV
Dx Ix in fatty liver
Biopsy: cells swollen with fat
mx fatty liver
no alcohol
wt loss + exercise
mx of cause
What is higher in steatohepatitis - AST or ALT
ALT