Liver and Biliary Flashcards
Liver and Biliary
What are the three causes of jaundice?
Pre-hepatic
Hepatic
Post-hepatic
What is pre-hepatic jaundice?
Excess bilirubin due to excessive haemolysis
liver is fine but can’t conjugate fast enough
What is hepatic jaundice?
Impaired hepatocellular uptake, defective conjugation, or abnormal secretion of bilirubin
What is post-hepatic jaundice?
Impaired excretion due to a mechanical obstruction of the biliary flow
Which serum markers will be elevated in pre-hepatic jaundice?
Unconjugated bilirubin only (normal ALP/AST/ALT)
Which serum markers will be elevated in hepatic jaundice?
AST + ALT = sign of hepatocyte damage
Conjugated + unconjugated bilirubin may also be elevated (backlog- impaired metabolism)
Which serum markers will be elevated in post-hepatic jaundice (biliary disease)?
ALP + GGT = sign of cholangiocyte damage
Conjugated bilirubin
What are some signs of portal hypertension?
Oesophageal varices Splenomegaly Caput medusae Ascites Haemorrhoids
What are some signs of liver failure?
Asterixis Bruising Clubbing Dupuytren's contracture Erythema (palmar) Fetor hepaticus (breath of the dead) Gynaecomastia Hypertension (portal) Itching Jaundice Spider naevi/testicular atrophy (ABC...)
Which hepatitides are transmitted through the faecal-oral route?
Hepatitis A, E (can also spread by sex/contaminated water)
Which hepatitides are transmitted through bodily fluids?
Hepatitis B, C, D
What is the incubation period of Hepatitis A?
2 weeks
What is the incubation period of Hepatitis B?
4-12 weeks
What is the incubation period of Hepatitis C?
2 weeks - 6 months
What is the incubation period of Hepatitis D?
4-12 weeks
What is the incubation period of Hepatitis E?
5-6 weeks
What are the risk factors for Hepatitis A?
Poor hygeine
What are the risk factors for Hepatitis B?
Health workers
IVDU
M-M sexual relations
What are the risk factors for Hepatitis C?
IVDU
M-M sexual relations
What are the risk factors for Hepatitis D?
Only co-infects with Hep B
What are the risk factors for Hepatitis E?
Immunocompromised Pts
Pregnancy
Which hepatitides are at risk of chronic development?
Hepatitis B (in children) Hepatitis C (60-80%)
What are some generic symptoms of viral hepatitis?
Reduced appetite N+V Abdo pain Pruritus Skin rash Joint pain Jaundice Hepatomegaly Recent travel from Africa/East Mediterranean
What investigations would you do on a Pt with viral hepatitis?
LFTs FBC U+Es Antibodies NAAT (nucleic acid amplification test can indicate viral load)
What is the interpretation of the following HBV antibodies?
Anti-HBc IgM: -ve
Anti-HBc IgG: -ve
HbSAg: -ve
Anti-HBs: -ve
Not infected
What is the interpretation of the following HBV antibodies?
Anti-HBc IgM: -ve
Anti-HBc IgG: -ve
HbSAg: -ve
Anti-HBs: +ve
Not infected, with prior vaccination
What is the interpretation of the following HBV antibodies?
Anti-HBc IgM: -ve
Anti-HBc IgG: -ve
HbSAg: +ve
Anti-HBs: -ve
Early acute HBV infection
What is the interpretation of the following Hep B antibodies?
Anti-HBc IgM: +ve
Anti-HBc IgG: -ve
HbSAg: +ve
Anti-HBs: -ve
Acute HBV infection
What is the interpretation of the following HBV antibodies?
Anti-HBc IgM: -ve
Anti-HBc IgG: +ve
HbSAg: -ve
Anti-HBs: +ve
Resolved acute HBV infection
What is the interpretation of the following HBV antibodies?
Anti-HBc IgM: -ve
Anti-HBc IgG: +ve
HbSAg: +ve
Anti-HBs: -ve
Chronic HBV infection
Notes for HBV antibody interpretation
HBsAg: surface antigens
If these are present, there is an infection
Anti-HBs: surface antigen antibodies
If these are present, body is successfully protected against virus
Anti-HBc IgM/IgG: core antigen antibodies
IgM precedes IgG, hence IgM indicates a more recent infection
What is the management for hepatitis A/E?
Supportive care
Avoid alcohol/excess paracetamol
What is the management for hepatitis B?
Supportive care if acute
Antivirals and peginterferon if chronic
What is the management for hepatitis C?
Supportive care if acute
Antivirals if chronic
What is the prognosis for hepatitis A?
Nearly all resolve in 6 months
What is the prognosis for hepatitis B?
Viral suppression in 90% of chronic cases
What is the prognosis for hepatitis C?
79% mortality at 10 years for chronic cases
What is the cause of NASH/NAFLD?
Insulin resistance -> increased triglycerides -> steatosis -> inflammation -> steatohepatitis
What are the risk factors for NASH?
No alcohol Hx
Obesity (truncal) Insulin resistance/diabetes Hyperlipidaemia Hypertension Metabolic syndrome Short bowel syndrome TPN.
What is the triad for NASH?
RUQ pain
Hepatomegaly
Metabolic syndrome without alcohol
What are the investigations for NASH?
Liver function tests
- AST:ALT elevated <1 (>2 in alcoholic liver disease)
- FBC- thrombocytopaenia, elevated WCC, deranged clotting
- Metabolic profile (elevated glucose)
- Lipid profile- hyperlipidaemia
- Hepatic ultrasound
What is the management for NASH?
Diet and exercise
Correction of glucose and lipid levels (statins, metformin, thiazolidinediones)
Liver transplant if in liver failure
What is the prognosis for NASH?
1/3 reverse the condition
1/3 keep the condition
1/3 develops into cirrhosis
What are the complications of NASH?
Cirrhosis HCC Ascites Portosystemic thrombosis Haemorrhage
What is the cause for ALD?
Alcohol metabolism -> XS NADH -> inhibits gluconeogenesis -> increased fatty acid oxidation -> steatosis -> inflammation -> steatohepatitis
What is the triad for ALD?
RUQ pain
Hepatomegaly
Associated with a Hx of alcohol consumption
What are the investigations for ALD? What would you see?
Liver function tests (AST:ALT >2, raised GGT) = FIRST LINE
FBC- macrocytic anaemia
Clotting screen
Vitamin screen
Hepatic USS (cirrhotic PT to screen for HCC)
Liver biopsy (diagnostic, rarely needed) + histology
What is the management for ALD?
- Alcohol abstinence + withdrawal management (diazepam to prevent seizure)
- Nutrition (enteral preferred, calories and vitamins)
- Weight loss/stop smoking
- Steroids in severe alcoholic hepatitis
- Liver transplant if in liver failure
What is liver cirrhosis?
Scarring of the liver due to hepatocyte damage
Normal liver replaced with fibrosis and nodules of regenerating hepatocytes
Can be stable or decompensated (liver failure)
What are the symptoms of liver cirrhosis?
Abdominal distension
Pruritus
Coffee-ground vomit (due to gastro-oesoph varices)
What are the signs of liver cirrhosis?
Jaundice Ascites Asterixis Dupuytren's contracture Palmar erythema Caput medusae
What are the investigations for liver cirrhosis?
LFTs -low albumin -prolonged PT U+Es -hyponatraemia: ascites US/CT/MRI can see atrophy/fibrotic nodules
What is the management for liver cirrhosis?
Treat underlying cause
Liver transplant if in liver failure
What is Wilson’s disease?
Autosomal recessive disease of impaired copper excretion in the bile
ATP7B mutation
What are the signs and symptoms of Wilson’s disease?
IN A YOUNG PERSON:
Hepatitis symptoms (liver accumulation):
- Hepatosplenomegaly
- RUQ pain
- jaundice
- ascites
- portal HTN
Parkinsonism (basal ganglia accumulation):
- Ataxia
- Tremor
- Dysdiadochokinesia
- Dementia
Kayser-Fleischer rings
What investigations would you do for Wilson’s disease?
FIRST LINE:
- LFTs (raised transaminases/bilirubin)
- 24-hr urinary copper
- slit lamp examination
COPPER STUDIES:
- ↓ serum ceruloplasmin (copper transport protein)
- ↑ serum free copper
GOLD STANDARD/DIAGNOSTIC
- Genetic testing
- Liver biopsy and measurement of copper content
What is haemochromatosis?
Autosomal recessive multisystem disorder of dysregulated dietary iron absorption and increased iron release from macrophages
Commonly C282Y or H63D mutation
Due to HEPCIDIN abnormality so there is no inhibition of Fe uptake
What are the investigations for haemochromatosis?
FIRST LINE = Iron studies:
- high ferritin (non-specific as acute phase protein)
- low transferrin
- high transferrin saturation
Gene typing of HFE Liver biopsy (gold standard)
What is cholelithiasis?
Presence of solid concentrations in the gall bladder
What is choledocholithiasis?
Formation of solid concentrations in the gall bladder which exit the bile duct
What is the anatomy of the biliary tree, starting from the sphincter of Oddi?
Sphincter of Oddi -> hepatopancreatic ampulla of Vater
AoV -> common bile duct and pancreatic duct
CBD -> cystic duct and common hepatic duct
CHD -> left and right hepatic duct
What are the risk factors for gallstones?
Fair skinned Fat Female Fertile Family Hx Forty+ (6 F's)
What are the symptoms of gallstones?
RUQ pain- colicky, post-prandial (fatty meals)
Nausea
NO JAUNDICE- not obstructing biliary flow
What is Murphy’s sign and what pathology does it present in?
Palpate the costal margin mid-clavicular plane
Pain/wince upon inspiration
Gallstones
What is Boas’ sign and what pathology does it present in?
Pain radiating to below the scapula
Gallstones
What is Kehr’s sign and what pathology does it present in?
Pain radiating to the shoulder tip
Gallstones
What investigations would you do for gallstones/cholelithiasis?
LFTs (first line)
Abdo US of liver and biliary tree (diagnostic)
What is the management for cholelithiasis?
If asymptomatic- nothing
If biliary colic- elective cholecystectomy + analgesia
What is the management for choledocholithiasis?
(Analgesia) + ERCP
+ lap chole
What is ascending cholangitis?
choledocholithiasis + infection
Bile stasis- bacteria enter the hepatopancreatic duct
Leads to inflammation and infection
What is acute cholecystitis?
Gallstone in the gall bladder/cystic duct causing bile stasis, inflammation, and infection
What is Mirizzi syndrome?
Blockage of the cystic duct causing inflammation
Inflammation blocks CHD leading to obstructive jaundice
What are the signs and symptoms of acute cholecystitis?
Constant RUQ pain +/- Boas' sign Fever N+V Rebound tenderness Murphy's sign +ve
What are the signs and symptoms of ascending cholangitis?
Charcot’s triad- RUQ pain, fever, jaundice
If septic, Reynold’s pentad
What is Charcot’s triad?
RUQ pain
Fever
Jaundice
What is Reynold’s pentad?
RUQ pain Fever Jaundice Hypotension Confusion
What is primary biliary cirrhosis?
Autoimmune damage and destruction of the biliary epithelial cells lining the small intrahepatic bile ducts
What is the epidemiology of PBC?
55-65 yrs
F:M 10:1
What are the symptoms of PBC?
Pruritus
Fatigue
Sjogren’s (dry mouth and eyes)
What are the investigations of PBC?
LFTs
Anti mitochondrial antibodies
Abdo US/MRCP- rule out obstructive duct lesion
What is primary sclerosing cholangitis?
Inflammation and fibrosis of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile ducts, leading to diffuse, multi-focal stricture formation.
What is the epidemiology for PSC?
40-50s
Male
What are the symptoms of PSC?
RUQ pain
Pruritus
Fatigue
What are the investigations for PSC?
LFTs (elevated GGT)
MRCP: beading
AMA: -ve