Liver GI Flashcards
When would you start calling it a chronic liver failure?
The onset of liver failure on a background of cirrhosis.
What are the FOUR STAGES OF HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY?
(1) Altered mood and behaviour. Disturbance of sleep pattern and dyspraxia
(2) Drowsiness, confusion, slurring of speech and personality change
(3) Incoherency, restlessness, asterixis
(4) Coma
INR test is used when?
To establish a diagnosis of liver failure
What are the King’s College Criteria for liver transplant for paracetamol-induced?
Arterial pH <7.3, 24h after ingestion (eg, overdose)
OR
Pro-thrombin time >100s
AND creatinine >300µmol/L
AND grade III or IV encephalopathy.
What are the King’s College Criteria for liver transplant for non-paracetamol-liver failure?
Prothrombin time >100s (INR >6.5)
OR
Any three of:
Drug-induced liver failure
Age under 10 or over 40 years
1 week from 1st jaundice to encephalopathy
Prothrombin time >50s
Bilirubin ≥300µmol/L.
The most Commonest causes of liver cirrhosis are?
Alcohol
Hepatitis B and C
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Chronic hepatitis symptoms are what?
Patient presents with fatigue, malaise, low-grade fever, and hepatomegaly
Congestive heart failure symptoms are what?
The patient has symptoms of;
Dyspnoea
Fatigue
Fluid retention
Peripheral oedema.
Explain the Child-Pugh Score
The severity of liver cirrhosis
=
Score: 1 2 3
Bilirubin (umol/l): <34 34-51 >51
Albumin (g/l): >35 28-35 <28
Prothrombin time (seconds prolonged): <4 4-6 >6
Encephalopathy: none mild marked
Ascites: none mild marked
A MELD score of 6-9 indicates what?
Low risk of mortality; Class I (less than 10%)
A MELD score of 10-19 indicates what?
Intermediate risk of mortality; Class II (19%)
A MELD score of 20-29 indicates what?
High risk of mortality; Class III (52%)
A MELD score of 30-39 indicates what?
Severe risk of mortality; Class IV (71%)
A MELD score of ≥ 40 indicates what?
Very severe risk of mortality; Class V (95%)
A 59-year-old woman is admitted to the hospital with alcohol withdrawal. She is noticed to have deranged liver function and clotting results, so she undergoes an abdominal ultrasound scan and fib4 testing and is found to have liver cirrhosis. Despite completing treatment for alcohol withdrawal and being declared medically fit for discharge, she becomes increasingly confused whilst awaiting transport home. On assessment, her vital signs are all within normal ranges. What is the most appropriate medication to prescribe while further investigations are pending?
Explain why you have chosen this medication.
Lactulose
= Patients with new confusion on a background of liver cirrhosis should raise suspicion for hepatic encephalopathy.
This occurs due to a build-up of ammonia, and an ammonia blood test can be used to aid diagnosis.
Lactulose can help to prevent and treat this because it encourages the excretion of ammonia through the digestive system in faeces.
Patients with new-onset confusion in liver cirrhosis should be started on lactulose and aim for two to three loose stools per day
A 52-year-old man attends the Gastroenterology Clinic for review. He complains that his breasts appear to have enlarged slightly over the past few years. What is the cause of gynaecomastia in cirrhosis?
Altered oestrogen metabolism
What is the most common complication of acute liver failure?
Bacterial infections
What are other complications that may arise in a person who has acute liver failure?
(1) Cerebral oedema ± raised intracranial pressure
(2) Bleeding
(3) Hypoglycaemia (easily treated with glucose)
(4) Multi-organ failure.
What helps reduce encephalopathy?
Lactuolse
What is used to reduce cerebral oedema in hepatic encephalopathy?
Intravenous mannitol
When would you prescribe Spironolactone
In oedema or ascites in liver cirrhosis
A 64-year-old man was recently diagnosed with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis. He presents to the emergency department feeling generally unwell with worsening abdominal swelling. On examination, there is evidence of asterixis, abdominal distension with shifting dullness and some generalised abdominal tenderness. An ascitic tap is performed and demonstrates a white cell count of 300/mm3, predominantly neutrophils. Lactulose and spironolactone have already been commenced.
Which of the following is the best next step in the management of this patient?
Commence broad-spectrum antibiotics
What happens to Prothrombin time during liver cirrhosis?
Increases
What is the leading cause of acute hepatitis?
Hepatitis E
What is Hepatitis C associated with? (strongly)
Hepatocellular carcinoma
+Ve HBsAG is what?
Hepatitis B
= Currently Infected
+Ve HBeAG is what?
Hepatitis B
= Highly Infected
+Ve Hep B IgM is what?
Hepatitis B
= Recently Infected
+Ve Hep B IgG is what?
Hepatitis B
= Chronically Infected
+Ve Anti-HBs is what?
Hepatitis B
= Vaccine or previous infection
+Ve Anti-HBc is what?
Hepatitis B
= Previous Infection
(+) serology but (-) PCR Indicates what?
Hepatitis C
= Past Infection
(+) serology and (+) PCR Indictaes what?
Hepatitis C
= Current Infection
What is Hep D treated with?
Pegylated interferon for 48 weeks
Chronic hep B is treated with what?
Tenofovir, Entecavir, Pegylated Inferon
When and who can get a vaccination to treat their hepatitis
- Vaccine available for hepatitis B – requires 3 doses
- Recommended for certain groups
What causes an increase in cardiovascular risk?
NAFLD
Weight loss and exercise in those with NAFLD with the aim of doing what?
Preventing the progression to NASH
Weight loss and exercise in those with NASH with the aim of doing what?
Prevent the progression to cirrhosis
Explain what is Type 1 Autoimmune Hepatitis
ANA positive, with anti-smooth muscle antibodies
More common in females
Explain what Type 2 Autoimmune Hepatitis is
Anti-liver/kidney mitochondrial type 1 antibodies (LKM1)
Children and young adults
What would the blood results show for a patient suffering from alcoholic liver disease hepatitis?
LFTs - AST > ALT
↑ GGT
Prolonged PT
↓ albumin
↑ bilirubin suggests end-stage ALD (cirrhosis)
Is Primary sclerosing cholangitis T cell or B cell mediated?
T cell - CD4+ cells react against antibodies