Liver + Friends Flashcards
What are the 3 key markers of liver function?
Bilirubin
Albumin
Prothrombin time (PT/INR)
What levels of bilirubin indicate liver dysfunction?
Increased
What level of albumin indicates liver dysfunction?
Decreased
What liver enzymes indicate liver damage?
AST (aspartate aminotransferase)
ALT (alanine aminotransferase)
GGT
ALP
Where are liver enzymes found?
Hepatocytes- leak out when damage occurs
When are high AST levels seen?
Hepatic necrosis
MI
Muscle injury
Congestive cardiac failure
When are high ALT levels seen?
ONLY in liver disease
What is the typical AST:ALT ratio?
1
What does an AST:ALT ratio of >2:1 indicate?
Alcoholic liver disease especially with inc. GGT
What does an AST:ALT ratio of >4.5:1 indicate?
Wilsons
Hyperthyroid
What does an AST:ALT ratio of <0.9:1 indicate?
NAFLD
When is GGT increased?
ALD
When is ALP increased?
Biliary tree specific damage
Bone pathology
What are 7 functions of the liver?
MAD BICO
Metabolises carbs
Albumin production
Detoxification
Bilirubin regulation
Immunity and Kupffer cells
Clotting factor production
Oestrogen regulation
What are 3 disorders of oestrogen regulation?
Gynaecomastia in men
Spider naevi
Palmar erythema
What is one disorder of detoxification pathology?
Hepatic encephalopathy
What is one disorder of carbohydrate metabolism?
Hypoglycaemia
What are 3 disorders of albumin production?
Oedema
Leukonychia
Ascites
What is one consequence of clotting factor dysfunction?
Easy bleeding and bruising
What are 2 disorders of bilirubin regulation?
Pruritus
Jaundice
What is one consequence of Kupffer cell dysfunction?
Spontaneous bacterial infections
Define acute liver failure
Rapid decline characterised by jaundice, coagulopathy (INR > 1.5) and hepatic encelopathy in a patient with a previously normal liver
What are the 3 types of acute liver failure?
Hyperacute <7 days
Acute: 1-4 weeks
Subacute: 4-12 weeks
Why does acute liver failure mainly occur?
Massive hepatocytes necrosis
What are 5 causes of acute liver failure?
Drugs
Viral
Infiltrative
Budd Chiari
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy
What are 3 viral causes of acute liver failure?
Hepatitis A,B,D,E
EBV
HSV
What are 3 drugs that can cause acute liver failure?
Paracetamol
Alcohol
Ecstasy
What are the symptoms of acute liver failure?
Jaundice, coagulopathy, hepatic encephalopathy ascites
MC 4 symptoms: jaundice, nausea, anorexia, malaise
How is HE graded?
West Haven criteria grades 1-4
Define hepatic encephalopathy
Changes in the brain that occur in patients with liver failure, ranging from memory issues to coma
Define liver failure
Liver fails to regenerate and repair leading to decompensation
How is acute liver failure diagnosed?
LFTs (bilirubin ect)
EEG to grade HE
Microbiology for infection
How is acute liver failure treated?
Treat underlying cause
ABCDE if severe
Treat complications
What are 3 complications of acute liver failure?
MC: Infection
Renal failure
Progressive HE
Oedema
How is encephalopathy treated in liver failure?
Lactulose (increased ammonia excretion)
Consider mannitol
How is ascites treated in liver failure?
Diuretics
Fluid restriction
How is cerebral oedema treated in liver failure?
Mannitol
How is bleeding treated in liver failure?
Vitamin K
How is sepsis treated in liver failure?
Abx
How is hypoglycaemia treated in liver failure?
Dextrose
Define chronic liver failure
Progressive liver disease over 6+ months due to repeated liver insults
What are 3 causes of chronic liver failure?
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD)
Non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Viral (hep C)
What are 3 risk factors of chronic liver failure?
Alcohol
Obesity
T2DM
Drugs
Outline the pathophysiology of chronic liver failure
Hepatitis/cholecystitis -> reversible fibrosis -> irreversible cirrhosis -> compensated or decompensated
Define compensated cirrhosis
Liver function preserved, no evidence of compliance to portal HTN
Define decompensated cirrhosis
Complications of liver dysfunction with reduced hepatic synthetic function and portal HTN
How is chronic liver failure graded?
Child Pugh score
What are the symptoms of chronic liver failure?
ABCDDEFGHIJ
Ascites
Bruising
Clubbing and leuconychia
Dupuytrens contracture
Encelopathy and palmar erythema and spider naevi
Gynaecomastia
Hepatomegaly
Increased parotid
Jaundice
How is chronic liver failure diagnosed?
Biopsy to confirm cirrhosis
LFTs
Imagine
Tap of ascites
What causes liver cirrhosis?
Chronic liver inflammation and liver cell damage
How is chronic liver failure treated?
Prevent progression - lifestyle modifications
Consider transplant if decompensated
Mange complications
Define fulminant liver failure
Syndrome of massive hepatocyte necrosis
What is the most common cause of fulminant liver failure?
Paracetamol overdose
What is the most common cause of liver failure?
Alcoholic liver disease
Outline the pathophysiology of ALD
Steatosis (fatty liver) -> Alcohol hepatitis (inflammation + necrosis) -> alcoholic cirrhosis (irreversible scar tissue)
What are 3 risk factors of ALD?
Obesity
Smoking
Excessive alcohol use
What are the symptoms of ALD?
Early stages have very little symptoms
Later = chronic liver failure symptoms and alcohol dependency
How is alcohol dependency characterised?
CAGE and AUDIT
How is ALD diagnosed?
GS: liver biopsy
Elevated MCV
Ultrasound or CT
Elevated PT, bilirubin, ALT and AST
What CAGE score indicates alcohol dependency?
2 or more
How is ALD treated?
Stop drinking alcohol!
Short term steroids
Consider transplant
How are alcohol withdrawal symptoms treated?
Chlordiazepoxide or diazepam
IV vitamin D and thiamine
What is the major complication of alcohol withdrawal?
Delerium tremens
What is the maximum alcohol recommendation a week?
14 units
What are the complications of ALD?
Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome
Pancreatitis
HE
Ascites
HCC
Mallory Weiss tear
What are Mallory cytoplasmic inclusion bodies indicative of?
ALD
What is Wenicke Korsakoff syndrome?
Combined B1 deficiency and alcohol withdrawal symptoms
What are the 3 symptoms of Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome?
Ataxia
Nystagmus
Encelopathy
How is Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome treated?
IV thiamine
Define non alcoholic fatty liver disease
Fat deposited in liver cells which interfere with function which can progress to hepatitis and cirrhosis
What are 3 risk factors of NAFLD?
Obesity
HTN
T2DM
Hyperlipidaemia
FHx
Outline the pathophysiology of NAFLD
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease -> Non-alcoholic Steatehepatitis (NASH) -> Fibrosis -> Cirrhosis
How common is NAFLD?
30% of adults have it
What are the symptoms of NAFLD?
Typically asymptomatic
Severe = liver failure signs
Hepatomegaly
Thrombocytopenia
How is NAFLD diagnosed?
Deranged LFTs (raised PT and bilirubin, dec albumin)
Liver ultrasound
Liver biopsy (GS)
What is transient elastography (fibroscan) used for?
Non-invasive test measuring liver stiffness, correlating to degree of fibrosis
How is NAFLD treated?
Lose weight
Control risk factors
Avoid alcohol
What are the complications of NAFLD?
HE
Ascites
HCC
Portal HTN and oesophageal ascites
Define hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver
Define viral hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver due to viral replication in hepatocytes
What type of virus is hepatitis A?
Single stranded RNA
Is Hep A acute or chronic?
Acute
Where is Hep A most prevalent?
Africa and South America
Seen in autumn
How is hep A spread?
Faeco-orally
What are 3 risk factors of Hep A?
Shellfish
Travel to Africa or South America
Overcrowding
What are the 2 phases of Hep A and B?
Prodromal phase
Icteric phase
What are the symptoms of Hep A and B?
Prodromal phase: N+V, fever, malaise, RUQ pain
Icteric phase: jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, pruritus
How is Hep A diagnosed?
FBC: leukopenia and raised ESR
Increased HAV IgM in infection, and anti HAV IgG after
Raised bilirubin
How is Hep A treated?
Usually self limiting
Anti-emetics and rest
Vaccine available
What type of virus is Hep B?
DNA virus
Is Hep B acute or chronic?
Acute and chronic
How is Hep B transmitted?
Blood
Bodily fluids
sharing needles (IVDU and tattoos)
Vertical transmission (mother to child in utero)
What are the complications of Hep B?
Fulminant hepatitis
HCC
Cirrhosis
What is the incubation period of Hep A?
2-6 weeks
What is the incubation period of Hep B?
1-6 months
What appears in initial Hep B infection on serology?
Hb S Ag
What are the antibodies against hep B?
Anti-HBs Ag
How is chronic Hep B treated?
SC pegylated interferon-alpha 2a (weekly subcutaneous)
Tenofovir
Can lead to transplant
What type of drug is Tenofovir?
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)
What type of virus is Hep C?
RNA flavivirus
Is Hep C chronic or acute?
Acute and chronic
Where is Hep C most common?
Egypt
How is Hep C spread?
Transmitted by blood and blood products
Very high in IVDU
Limited sexual transmission
What are the symptoms of hep C?
Acute= usually asymptomatic may have flu-like symptoms
Chronic = cirrhosis, liver failure, HCC, hepatosplenomegaly
How is Hep C diagnosed?
HCV antibody = within 4-6 weeks
HCV RNA = active infection!
How is Hep C treated?
Direct acting antiviral (DAA)
Ribavirin
What are the 3 suffixes for DAAs?
Asvir
Previr
Buvir
Why is access to Hep C treatment limited?
Very very expensive
What type of virus is hep D?
Incomplete RNA virus
What is required for Hep D assembly?
Hep B
(HBsAg)
Where is Hep D common?
Eastern Europe
North Africa
How is Hep D diagnosed and treated?
Same as Hep B
What are the risk factors of Hep B?
Healthcare workers
dialysis patients
Travellers
Gay men
IVDU
Is hep D acute or chronic?
Acute and chronic
What type of virus is Hep E?
RNA
Is hep E acute or chronic?
acute and chronic
How is Hep E spread?
Faeco-orally- food or water
Rodents, pigs and dogs
What is a big risk factor for increased Hep E mortality?
Pregnancy
How is Hep E infection diagnose?
Similar to Hep A (IgM and IgG)
HEV RNA
Where is Hep E common?
Indochina
What are 2 types of hepatitis with 100% immunity after infection?
Hep A
Hep E
How is Hep E treated?
Usually self limiting
Vaccine in china
What would serology HBsAG and IgM indicate?
Acute Hep B
What would serology HBsAG and IgG indicate?
Chronic Hep B
What would serology HBsAg (maybe) and IgG indicate?
Carrier
What would serology anti-HBsAg and anti-HBc indicate?
Cleared Hep B
What would serology appear like if the patient has been vaccinated against hep B?
Anti-HBsAg
Define autoimmune hepatitis
Inflammatory liver disease of unknown cause characterised by abnormal T-cell function and autoantibodies against hepatocyte surface antigens
What are the risk factors of autoimmune hepatitis?
Female
HLA DR3/4
Autoimmune disease
Viral hepatitis
Is type 1 or type 2 autoimmune hepatitis more common?
Type 1 by far
Who is predominantly affected by type 1 autoimmune hepatitis?
Adult women
Who is predominantly affected by type 2 autoimmune hepatitis?
Young women/children
How is type 1 autoimmune hepatitis diagnosed?
ANA (anti nuclear antibodies)
ASMA (anti smooth muscle antibodies)
Anti-SLA
How is type 2 autoimmune hepatitis diagnosed?
Anti-LKM1
Anti-LC1
How is autoimmune hepatitis treated?
Prednisolone + Azathioprine
Hep A and B vaccine
If severe = transplant
Define cirrhosis
Result of chronic inflammation and damage to hepatocytes, replacing them with fibrosis and nodules of scar tissue
Is cirrhosis reversible?
No
What are 4 causes of cirrhosis?
ALD (MC in UK)
NAFLD
Hep B and C
Wilsons
Alpha-antitrypsin deficiency
What are the symptoms of cirrhosis?
Basically similar to chronic failure
How is liver cirrhosis diagnosed?
Fibroscan
Liver biopsy
Hepatomegaly on CT
Thrombocytopenia
Low albumin and raised PT
What are the complications of liver cirrhosis?
Coagulopathy
Encephalopathy
Portal HTN
Ascites
Oesophageal varices
How is liver cirrhosis treated?
Good nutrition and abstain from alcohol
Ultrasounds for HCC
May need transplant
How is unconjugated bilirubin synthesised?
Hb -> haem -> biliverdin ——————> unconjugated bilirubin Via biliverdin reductase
Where is unconjugated bilirubin synthesised?
Spleen
How is unconjugated bilirubin transported?
Albumin
Where is conjugated bilirubin synthesised?
Liver
Define jaundice
Yellowing of skin/eyes due to accumulation of bilirubin
What are the 3 categories of causes of jaundice?
Prehepatic
Intrahepatic
Post-hepatic
Define Prehepatic jaundice
Unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia due to increased RBC breakdown
What are 3 causes of prehepatic jaundice?
Haemolytic anaemias
-Sickle cell
-G6PDH deficiency ect
Gilbert syndrome
What causes intrahepatic jaundice
Conjugated/unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia
What are 3 causes of intrahepatic jaundice?
Hepatitis
HCC
ALD/NAFLD
Hepatotoxic drugs
What is Gilbert syndrome?
Autorecessive mutation of UGT1A1 gene causing under active UGT therefore causing a decrease in conjugated bilirubin
What is the function of UGT?
Converts unconjugated bilirubin to conjugated alongside glucaronic acid
How does unconjugated bilirubin cause unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia?
Not water soluble so does not leave the body in urine
Where is conjugated bilirubin broken down?
Small intestine
What breaks down conjugated bilirubin?
Colonic flora
What is conjugated bilirubin broken down into?
Urobilinogen
What is urobilinogen broken down into?
Urobilin (makes wee yellow)
Stercobilin (makes poo brown)
Define post hepatic jaundice
Conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia due to biliary obstruction
What are 3 causes of post hepatic jaundice?
Gallstones/Cholelithiasis
Pancreatic cancer
Choleangiocarcinoma
Mirizzi syndrome
PBC
PSC
What would pale stools and dark urine indicate?
Intra/post hepatic jaundice