Liver Disease Flashcards
What are the symptoms of acute/chronic liver disease?
asymptomatic
cholestatic - jaundice, pruritis, pale stools/dark urine
systemic - cachectic, fatigue, fever, xanthelasma, parotid enlargement, spider naevi, organomegaly, clubbing, Dupuytren’s contracture, telangiectasis
decompensation - ascites, distension, dizzy, drowsy, disorientated, hepatic flap, bleeding
What is Wilson’s disease?
dysregulated Cu2+ autosomal recessive - ATP7B excess copper deposits - especially in liver and brain affects younger ages presents similar to ALF + cirrhosis
What is haemochromatosis?
excess iron absorption in gut –> particularly effects, liver, heart, and endocrine glands
TF saturation and raised ferritin
affects M>W
primary = genetic cause/iatrogenic - autosomal recessive - HFE secondary = from another disease/cause
How does alcohol lead to liver disease?
Metabolic –> alcohol, obesity, insulin resistance –> fat deposits
Inflammatory –> translation of lipid signal in inflammation - chemo/cytokines –> scarring + fibrosis
Genetic –> disturbance of lipid metabolism –> steatosis
PNPLA3
TM6SF2
MBOAT7
What is the AUDIT score?
= Alcohol Use Disorders Indentification Test
There are 3 sections:
hazardous alcohol use
symptoms of dependance
harmful alcohol use
10 questions - ?/40
>20 means concerning alcohol dependence
16-19 indicates hazardous use
8-15 indicates mild intervention required
What is Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?
onset of a set of symptoms after last drink
6-36hrs = headache, tremor, anorexia, palpitations, anxiety
6-48hrs = seizures
12-48hrs = alcoholic hallucinosis
48-96hrs = delirium tremens
How do you treat alcohol withdrawal syndrome?
chlordiazepoxide (benzodiazepine)
lorazepam if cirrhosed liver
if severe delirium tremens –> haloperidol
Define alcoholic hepatitis
recent onset of jaundice +/- ascites w/ ongoing alcohol abuse
presents with additional fever, raised WCC, platelets and AST
will show steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning and inflammatory infiltrate on biopsy
How is alcohol hepatitis managed?
sepsis treatment NG feed steroids liver transplant alcohol abstinence
What is NAFLD?
= Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
caused by:
hepatic triglyceride accumulation –> FFA released –> oxidative stress –> inflammatory mediators –> inflammatory cascade –> progressive fibrosis –> cirrhosis
What is NASH?
= non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
a stage of NAFLD
How does NAFLD present?
abdnormal LFTs - ALT/AST >1, persistent transaminitis
fatigue
RUQ pain
hepatomegaly
What are the risk factors for NAFLD?
obesity T2DM hyperglyceridemia hypertension metabolic syndrome CVS complications TPN haemochromatosis
Which drugs can increase the risk of NAFLD?
steroids
amiodarone
methotrexate
How is NAFLD diagnosed?
exclusion of other causes + metabolic syndrome = impaired glucose tolerance central obesity raised LDLs but low HDLs hypertension
liver bx + fibroscan
How is NAFLD treated?
weight loss
treat metabolic factors eg statins, antihypertensives
Describe the 5 types of viral hepatitis
Hep A - RNA - FO route - can be vaccinated
Hep B - DNA - hepadnavirus - parenteral (28-160 incubation days) - vaccine
Hep C - RNA - flavivirus - parenteral (15-150 incubation days)
Hep D - RNA - parenteral - protected via HBV vaccine
Hep E - RNA - FO route
What can happen as a result of an acute HBV infection?
Futuminant hepatitis
acute hepatitis
recovery
chronicity –> chronic hepatitis –> cirrhosis
What do these mean?
a. HBs Ag
b. HBs Ab
c. HBc Ab
d. HBe Ag
e. HBe Ab
a. HBV surface AntiGen - raised = active infection
b. HBV surface AntiBody - raised = immunisation
c. HBV core AntiBody -
d. HBV E AntiGen - raised = high infectivity
e. HBV E AntiBody - past infection/latent
Where does hep B and hep C most commonly affect?
B - S. America, Africa, Middle East
C - Central Asia, Africa, S. America
How is Hep B treated?
aim is to decrease viral replication
nucleoside/tide analogues (RTi)
eg entercovir or tenofovir
PEG-IFN