Liver, Biliary and Pancreatic Disease Flashcards
Define acute liver failure
Rapid decline in hepatic function characterised by jaundice, coagulopathy and hepatic encephalopathy in patients with no prior evidence of liver disease.
Define coagulopathy
INR > 1.5
What are the clinical characteristics of fulminant hepatitis?
Patient presenting with both jaundice and coagulopathy
What is the main clinical presentation of a patient with conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia?
Dark urine and pale stools
Define obstructive jaundice
Blockage of flow of bile through bile ducts or intrahepatic/ extra hepatic ducts
Name the 2 subcategories of conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia
- Obstructive jaundice
2. Hepatocellular jaundice
Outline the 4 common causes of obstructive jaundice
- Gallstones
- Biliary colic
- Cholecystitis
- Carcinoma of the head of the pancreas
Outline the 4 common causes of hepatocellular jaundice
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Viral hepatitis
- Drug induced (e.g. paramcetemaol overdose)
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Define steatohepatitis
The accumulation of fat in the liver that induces inflammation
What are the two subcategories of steatohepatitis?
- Alcohol related fatty liver disease
2. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Give 2 more uncommon causes of obstructive jaundice
- Sclerosing cholangitis
2. Cholangiocarcinoma
Give 3 uncommon causes of hepatocellular jaundice
- Autoimmune liver disease
- Haemochromatosis
- Wilson’s disease
Describe the positioning of pain associated with Biliary Colic
Right upper quadrant
What are the three clinical components of cholangitis?
- Biliary colic
- Jaundice
- Fever
Describe the positioning of pain associated with pancreatitis
Severe epigastric pain radiating to the back
What are the 2 most common causes of pancreatitis?
- Alcohol excess
2. Obstruction of the common bile duct by gallstones
What is the most important differential associated with painless jaundice?
Possible liver or pancreatic cancer
What is the difference in the ratio of transaminases to Alk Phos on an LFT panel for Hepatocellular damage compared to an obstructive cause?
- Hepatocellular damage: Rise in transaminases is much greater than the rise in all phos
- Obstructive cause: Rise in Alk Phos is much greater than the rise in the transaminases.
In what patient cohort does carcinoma of the head of the pancreas need to be actively excluded as a differential with imaging tests?
Patients over 40 who have painless obstructive jaundice
Which biomarker is used for the investigation of primary hepatocellular cancer?
alpha-fetoprotein
Primary hepatocellular cancer is more common in which patient cohort?
Patients with liver cirrhosis
Define 1 alcohol unit
10mls or 8g of pure ethanol
Abrupt alcohol withdrawal can be associated with which clinical syndrome?
Delirium Tremens
Give the 5 most common differentials for leukonychia
- Minor trauma
- Hypoalbuminaemia in chronic liver disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Fungal infection
- Lymphoma
Give the 2 most common differentials for koilonychia
- Trauma
2. Iron deficiency
What is the differential for angular stomatitis that is particularly relevant in an abdominal exam?
Iron/B12 deficiency
In the context of abdominal pathology, mouth ulcers can indicate one of which 2 conditions?
- Crohn’s disease
2. Coeliac disease
Excoriations on abdominal exam are an indications of which pathology?
Cholestasis
What are the 3 main causes of asterexis?
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Uraemia
- CO2 retention
Name the 3 main abdominal differentials associated with clubbing on clinical examination
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Cirrhosis
- Coeliac disease
In caucasians, jaundice becomes clinically evident at approximately what level of bilirubin?
50umol/L
What are the 2 main causes of unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia
- Haemolysis
2. Gilbert’s syndrome
Gilbert’s syndrome is often associated with which other clinical condition?
Haemolytic anemia
Severe cases of acute hepatitis are associated with which 2 complications?
- Coagulopathy
2. Renal Impairment
What is the technical definition of Fulminant hepatitis?
Encephalopathy within 28 days of developing jaundice secondary to acute liver disease (i.e. liver failure)
What are the clinical consequences of portal hypertension secondary to liver cirrhosis (5)
- Varices
- Piles
- Ascites
- Encephalopathy
- Renal Failure