Liver & Friends Flashcards
Describe the drug metabolism of aspirin
Phase I: - Hydrolysis reaction: Aspirin + H2O —> Salcylic acid + Ethanoic acid Phase II: - Conjugated with glycine or glucuronic acid - Forms a range of ionised products which can be excreted
What is the metabolism reaction of alcohol
ADH = alcohol dehydrogenase ALDH = aldehyde dehydrogenase
Treatment for paracetamol overdose
- Activated charcoal within 1 hour of ingestion - Sticks to paracetmol to ensure it’s not absorbed (adsorption), decreases all intestinal absorption - Followed by IV N-Acetyl Cysteine - Increases availability of glutathione to get rid of excess NAPQI
Paracetamol metabolism
- 95%: Phase II conjugation -> excreted - 5%: Phase I conjugation -> NAPQI (hepatotoxic) -> Phase II conjugation -> glutathione (antioxidant) -> excreted
How does paracetamol overdose work?
- Shunting phase 1 pathway as phase 2 is too saturated - Glutathione depleted - Hypertoxicity of NAPQI in liver and inflammation
Functions of the liver (ADMIReS)
Albumin Detoxification Metabolism of carbs and billirubin Immunity (Kuppfer cells) Regulation of oestrogen levels e Storage (vitamins ADEK, Fe, Cu, fat)
Liver function tests (LFTs) - markers of liver function
- Bilirubin (mainly unconjugated) - Albumin - Prothrombin time (PT/INR)
Direct markers of liver damage
High Bilirubin - Low Albumin - High PT/INR
Enzymes that show liver damage is likely
- AST and ALT - AST:ALT usually around 1
Aetiology of acute liver failure
- Viral: Viral hepatitis, CMV, EBV - Autoimmune hep (more chronic) - Drugs: paracetamol overdose, alcohol, ecstasy - HCC - Metabolic: Wilson’s, haemochromatosis, A1ATD - Budd Chiari syndrome
Aetiology of chronic liver failure
- ALD (Most common) - NAFLD - Viral: Hep B, C, D - Budd Chiari syndrome - Drugs - Autoimmine - PBC + PSC
Risk factors for chronic liver failure
alcohol - Obesity - T2DM - Drugs - Inherited Metabolic diseases/existing autoimmunity
Fulminant liver failure
- Rare syndrome of massive multiacinar necrosis - Rapid - Caused by paracetamol overdose in 50% of cases in the UK
Types of fulminant liver failure
Hyperacute - Hepatic encephalopathy within 7 days of jaundice Acute - Hepatic encephalopathy within 8-28 days of jaundice Subacute - Hepatic encephalopathy within 5-26 weeks of jaundice
Pathophysiology of acute liver failure
- Declined liver function - Liver loses regeneration/repair ability -> irreversibly damaged - In patient with previously normal liver
West Haven criteria grades 1-4 of hepatic encephalopathy
- Altered mood, sleep problems 2. Lethargy, mild confusion, asterixis, jaundice 3. Marked confusion, solmonence, ataxia 4. Comatose
Presentation of acute liver failure and their diagnosis
- Jaundice - hyperbilirubinaemia - Coagulopathy - raised PT/INR over 1.5 - Hepatic encephalopathy - EEG - Extent of liver damage: biopsy GOLD STANDARD Top 3 are main characteristics
Diagnosis of acute liver failure
Bloods - Imaging - Microbiology
Bloods for acute liver failure
- LFTs show liver damage (High bilirubin, low albumin, high PT/INR) - High serum AST + ALT - High NH3 - Low glucose
Imaging for acute liver failure
EEG to grade HE - Abdominal ultrasound to check for Budd Chiari syndrome
Microbiology for acute liver failure
to rule out infections - Blood culture, urine cultire, ascitic tap
Treatment of acute liver failure
ITU, ABCDE, fluid, analgesia - Treat underlying cause and complications
Treatments for complications of liver failure
- High ICP: IV mannitol - HE: Lactulose (increases NH3 excretion) - Coagulopathy: Vit K - Ascites: Diuretics, esp spironolactone - Sepsis: Sepsis 6 pathway
Assessing prognosis and requierd treatment for chronic liver disease
✨Child-Pugh score✨ - Considers bilirubin, ascites presence, serum albumin, PT/INR, hepatic encephalopathy A: 100% 1 year survival B: 80% 1 year survival C: 45% 1 year survival
End stage liver failure
Decompensated cirrhosis - A High risk factor for developing hepatocellular carcinoma
Presentation of chronic liver failure
- Same as acute + - Portal hypertension - Oesophageal varices - Caput medusae - Spider naevi (Fig.1) - Palmar erythema - Gynecomastia - Clubbing 🕺 - Fetor hepaticus - Dupuytren contracture
Diagnosis of chronic liver failure
liver biopsy to determine extent (fibrosis vs cirrhosis) - LFT, Imaging, ultrasound, ascitic tap culture
Treatment of chronic liver failure
Prevent progression (decrease alcohol and BMI, avoid Drugs) - Consider liver transplant if Decompensated liver failure - Manage complications
Bilirubin metabolism
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Alcohol units
- 1 unit = 8g/10ml pure alcohol - Recommended no more than 14 units a week for both men and women Equation: strength (ABV) x volume (ml) ————————————— 1000
Risk factors for alcoholic liver disease
chronic alcohol - Obesity - Smoking - Female gender - Genetic
Stages of alcoholic liver disease
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Symptoms of alcoholic liver disease
- Early stages may be asymptomatic Later: - Chronic liver failure symptoms - Alcohol dependency - Hepatomegaly
Assessing alcohol dependency
- Alcohol use disorder ID test: 10 questions 2. Questionnaire with CAGE questions (>2 = dependent!) - Should you cut down? - Are people annoyed by your drinking? - Do you feel guilty about drinking? - Do you drink in the morning? (eye opening)
Diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease
Bloods - LFT shows liver damage - High GGT - AST:ALT > 2 - Macrocytic and megaloblastic anaemia Biopsy to confirm extent: - Mallory cytoplasmic inclusion bodies - Inflammation and necrosis in alcoholic hepatitis
Conservative treatment for alcoholic liver disease
Healthy diet, lower BMI - Stop alcohol
Pharmacological treatment for alcoholic liver disease
- Consider steroids short term (Maddrey’s discriminant value of 32) - IV thiamine (Vit B1) so you don’t develop Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome - Could also give folate
Surgical treatment for alcoholic liver disease
- Consider liver transplant for ESLF cases - Must have abstained from alcohol for 3+ months
Complications of alcoholic liver disease
Pancreatitis - HE - Ascites - HCC - Mallory-weiss tear - Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome
What is a hernia?
Protrusion of an organ through a defect in its containing cavity. Typically bowel
Reducible vs irreducible hernias
Reducible - can be pushed back into place Irreducible: - Obstructed - intestinal obstruction - Strangulation - intestinal ischaemia - Incarcerated - contents fixed in sac due to size or adhesions
Rolling hiatal hernias
20% - LOS stays in the abdomen - Part of fundis rolls into thorax
Sliding hiatal hernias
80% - LOS slides into abdomen
What is a hiatal hernia?
- Stomach herniates through diaphragm aperture - Obese women and 50+ year olds
Symptoms of hiatal hernias
GORD - Dysphagia
Diagnosis of hiatal hernias
Barium swallow (diagnostic) - Oesophago gastro duodenoscopy - Chest x-ray
Curative treatment for hernias
Surgery
What is a femoral hernia?
Bowel herniates through femoral cord - Female, mid-old age - Very likely to strangulate due to rigid femoral canal borders
Symptom of femoral hernia
Swelling in upper thigh pointing down
Diagnosis of femoral hernia
Abdo/pelvic ultrasound if unsure - BUT usually clinical (based on symptoms)
Borders of the femoral TRIANGLE
Sartorius laterally Adductor longus medially Inguinal Ligament superiorly ⛵️
Borders of the femoral CANAL (within the femoral triangle
Femoral vein laterally Lacunar ligament medially Inguinal ligament anteriorly Pectineal ligament posteriorly
What is an inguinal hernia?
- Spermatic cord herniates through inguinal canal - In males (obviously - History of heavy lifting/abdopressure
Direct inguinal hernias
- 20% - In Hesselbach’s triangle - Medial to inferior epigastrics
Hesselbach’s triangle
Rectus abdominis medially Inferior epigastric vessels superiorly/laterally Poupart’s (inguinal) ligament inferiorly 🪦
Indirect inguinal hernias
- 80% - Not in Hesselbach’s triangle - Lateral to inferior epigastrics
Symptoms of inguinal hernias
Painful swelling in groin - Points along groin margin
Diagnosis of inguinal hernias
- Usually clinical - Unsure = AUSS (CT/MRI)
Other types of hernias
- Umbilical (in neonates) - Incisional (surgical scars) - Epigastric - Obturator (Howship-Romberg sign) - Diastasis recti - Spigelian
Risk factors for NAFLD
Obesity - T2DM - hypertension - Hyperlipidaemia - Middle aged onwards - Family History - Drugs (NSAIDs, amiodarone)
Stages of NFALD
- Hepatosteatosis (NAFLD) 2. Non-alcoholic steatohapatitis (NASH) 3. Fibrosis 4. Cirrhosis
Symptoms of NAFLD
Typically asymptomatic, findings are incidental - if v.severe, present with signs of liver failure
Diagnosis of NAFLD
- first line Deranged LFTs (High PT/INR, low albumin, high bilirubin) high everything else - AST:ALT < 1 - FBC: thrombocytopaenia, hyperglycaemia - Enhanced liver fibrosis blood tests if fibrosis suspected (comes under lft) ELF - Abdominal ultrasound to confirm Fib 4 score (second line) - Assess risk of fibrosis using non-invasive method
Enhanced liver fibrosis blood test for assessing fibrosis
- Measure three markers - HA, PIIINP and TIMP-1 - <7.7 = none-mild fibrosis - ≥7.7 - 9.8 = moderate fibrosis - ≥9.8 = severe fibrosis
FIB-4 score for assessing fibrosis
> 2.67 = advanced -> refer to hepatology specialist
Management of NAFLD
Weight loss - Exercise - Control diabetes, Blood pressure and cholesterol - Stop Smoking - avoid alcohol - Vitamin E to improve liver function - Pioglitazone to decrease insulin resistance
Complications of NAFLD
HE - Ascites - HCC - Portal hypertension - Oesophageal varices
Pathophysiology of viral hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver as a result of viral replication within hepatocytes
Virus types of Hepatitis
All are single-strand RNA - Apart from hep B, which is double-strand DNA
Which hepatitis needs to be notified to Public Health England?
All
Spread of Hep A
Faeco-oral spread - Fly vectors - Picornavirus
Which types of hepatitis have 100% immunity after infection?
A & E
Risk factors for Hep A
Overcrowding - Poor sanitation - Shellfish - Travel - endemic in Africa, Asia, South America, Middle East
Pathophysiology of Hep A
- Incubation for 2 weeks - Replicates in liver, excreted in bile - Self limiting within 6 weeks (having it/vaccine gives 100% immunity) - Acute, mild
Symptoms of Hep A
Prodromal phase (1-2 weeks): - Malaise - Nausea and vomiting - Fever Then: - Jaundice - dark urine + pale stools - Hepatosplenomegaly - Skin rash
Diagnosis of Hep A
Bloods: High ESR + leukopenia - LFT: Bilirubin High when there is Jaundice - Serology: HAV IgM = acutely infected HAV IgG = chronically infected
Treatment of Hep A
Supportive (treatment often Not required) - Travellers vaccine available
Complications of Hep A (Rare)
Fulminant liver failure😶🌫️
Spread of Hep C
Blood-borne and bodily fluids - IVDU - Flavivirus - IVDU more than vertical/sexual transmission - More common in the UK, again common in Africa
Symptoms of Hep C
often acutely asymptomatic, allowing it to become chronic Later on - Few patients with flu-like symptoms - chronic causes A sow progressive fibrosis over years + hepatosplenomegaly
Diagnosis of Hep C
- LFTs - Serology: HCVRNA = current infection/diagnoses acute infection HCVAb = presents within 4-6 weeks of infection, if present after 6 months then it’s chronic
Treatment of Hep C
Direct acting antivirals, expensive 💸 - NS5A-inhibitor (acivir) - NS5B-inhibitor (buvir) - Previr
Complications of Hep C
30% cases progress to chronic liver failure (cirrhosis and HCC risk)
Spread of Hep E
Faeco-oral (undercooked pork) - Water - Dogs - Calicivirus
More on Hep E
- Usually self limiting acute hepatitis (95% are asymptomatic) - Commoner than Hep A in the UK (endemic) - Common in Indo-China
Complications of Hep E
- Can cause chronic disease in immunosuppressed - Can cause fulminant liver failure: Normal mortality 1-2%Pregnant ladies 10-20% !!!
Diagnosis of Hep E
Serology: HEV IgM = acute infection HEV IgG = recovery, only chronic in immunocompromised patients
Treatment of Hep E
Supportive, self limiting - vaccine only in China!🇨🇳
Spread of Hep D
Intravenous drug use - Sexually transmitted
Pathophysiology of Hep D
acute + chronic (like hep B) - Dependant on surface antigen of hep B to replicate, makes hep B more likely to progress to cirrhosis/HCC - Clinically indistinguishable from acute hep B
Diagnosis of Hep D
Manifests as co-infection IgM HDV + IgM HBV
Treatment and complications of Hep D
Treat hep B - Can also use inteferons BUT Not that good lol
Spread of Hep B
- Needles (needlestick injury, tattoo, IVDU) - Sexual - Vertical (mother -> child) - Horizontal (between children) Blood borne and found in semen and saliva
Risk factors for Hep B
IVDU - MSM - Dialysis patients - Healthcare workers - present worldwide
Symptoms of Hep B
- Similar to Hep A - 1-2 weeks prodrome - Then jaundice (dark urine + pale stools), hepatomegaly, uticaria, arthralgia
Pathophysiology of Hep B
- Acute infection infects hepatocyte, cellular response usually clears it - Incubation 1-6 months
Serology chart for Hep B
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