Liver symposium Flashcards
What does the liver do?
Protein synthesis
e.g. albumin, clotting factors
Glucose and fat metabolism
Detoxification and excretion: drugs, hormones, ammonia, billirubin
Defence against infection: reticuloendothelial system
Storage organs for fat in body
Bile
compound needed to digest fat and absorb vitamins A, D, E, K
Kuppfer Cells:
macrophages that reside in sinusoids in proximity to ECs.Theyserve a physiological function to remove senescentcellsand particulates, including bacteria and their products.
Liver lobules (Look at osmosis)
Normal liver is arranged in a regular way (acinar or lobular models).
Blood enters via the portal vein and hepatic artery, which lie together with a small bile duct within the portal tract
Blood flows into a system of sinusoids which bathe the liver cells, arranged in plates, with blood, before exiting via the hepatic vein (central vein).
Liver cells within the lobule can be divided into zones 1 to 3, which receive progressively less oxygenated blood.
Types of liver injury
Acute and chronic
Acute liver injury can lead to what?
Recovery or Liver failure
Chronic liver injury can cause what?
Recovery
Cirrhosis: scarring in liver – can be reversible now – right treatment of underlying condition
Liver failure: varices, hepatoma
What does acute liver injury lead to?
Damage and loss of cells
Cell death may occur by necrosis (associated with neutrophils), or apoptosis
Chronic damage leads to what?
Fibrosis.
In its severest form this is termed cirrhosis – wide fibrous septa join the portal tracts and central veins, leaving nodules of liver cells to attempt regeneration if the causative insult has been removed.
Causes of acute liver injury:
viral (A,B, EBV)
drug
alcohol
Vascular
Obstruction
Congestion
Causes of chronic liver injury:
alcohol
viral (B,C)
autoimmune
metabolic (iron, copper)
Typical presentation of acute liver failure:
malaise, nausea, anorexia, jaundice
Rarer:
confusion
bleeding
liver pain
hypoglycaemia
Presentation of chronic liver injury:
ascites, oedema
haematemesis (varices)
malaise,
anorexia,
wasting
easy bruising, itching
hepatomegaly,
abnormal LFTs
rarer: - jaundice - confusion
Serum liver function tests:
Serum bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time:
Bilirubin low – high is signs of liver failure opposite for albumin
Elevated PT time – progressive chronic liver disease
Serum liver enzymes:
cholestatic: alkaline phosphatase, gamma-GT
hepatocellular: transaminases (AST, ALT)
What is Jaundice?
Raised serum billirubin
Types of Jaundice:
Unconjugated - “pre-hepatic”
- Gilberts, Haemolysis
Conjugated – “cholestatic”
-Liver disease “hepatic”
-Bile duct obstruction “post hepatic”
Jaundice classification:
Prehaptic (unconjugated) > Hepatic (conjugated) > Post Hepatic (conjugated)
Hepatitis causes:
viral, drugs immune, alcohol
Ischaemia – lack of oxygen in cells
Neoplasm
Congestion (CCF)
Gallstone causes:
bile duct, Mirizzi
Stricture: malignant, ischaemic, inflammatory
Pre hepatic jaundice features:
URINE: Normal
STOOLS: Normal
ITCHING: No
Liver Tests: Normal
Cholestatic (hepatic or post hepatic) features:
URINE: Dark
STOOLS: Pale - no billirubin
ITCHING: Maybe
Liver Tests: Abnormal
Questions to ask for Jaundice?
1.Dark urine, pale stools, itching?
2.Symptoms: biliary pain, rigors, abdomen swelling, weight loss?
3.Past history: biliary disease/intervention malignancy heart failure blood products autoimmune disease
- Drug history
- Social history
What tests need to be done for Jaundice?
Liver enzymes: Very high AST/ALT suggests liver disease, some exceptions
Biliary obstruction: 90% have dilated intrahepatic bile ducts on ultrasound
Need further imaging: CT Magnetic resonance cholangioram MRCP Endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram ERCP
Gall stone features:
Most form in gallbladder
Very common: 1/3 women over 60
70% Cholesterol, 30% pigment+/- calcium
Risk factors: Female, fat, fertile, forty (liver disease, ileal disease, TPN, clofibrate…)
Most are asymptomatic
Intrahepatic bile duct stones (hepatolithiasis)
Containing mainly brown pigment and cholesterol stones
Extrahepatic bile duct stones (choledocholithiasis)
Primary stones are mainly brown pigment stones, whereas secondary stones are mainly cholesterol stones
Gall bladder stones (cholecystolithiasis)
Containing cholesterol (or black pigment) stones
Gall stones presentation in gallbladder:
Bililary pain Yes
Cholecystitis: Yes
Obstructive Jaundice: maybe (Mirizzi)
Cholangitis: No
Pancreatitis: No
Gall stones presentation in bile duct:
Bililary pain : Yes
Cholecystitis: No
Obstructive Jaundice: Yes
Cholangitis: Yes
Pancreatitis: Yes
How do you manage gallbladder stones:
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Bile acid dissolution therapy (<1/3 success)
How do you manage bile duct stones:
-ERCP with sphincterotomy and: removal (basket or balloon)
crushing (mechanical, laser..) ‘
stent placement
- Surgery (large stones)
What can present as gallstones (differential diagnosis)
Weight loss
Jaundice
Malignancy
Acute stone obstruction
Alk phos usually normal.
Initial ALT often >1000; rapidly falls
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) incidence
About 1/10,000 patients/yr
0.1-3% of hospital admissions
30% of Acute Hepatitis
>65% of Acute Liver Failure
- 50% Paracetamol
- 15% idiosynchratic
Commonest reason for drug withdrawal from formulary
Types of DILI
Hepatocellular - ALT >2 ULN, ALT/Alk Phos ≥ 5
Cholestatic - Alk Phos >2 ULN or ratio ≤ 2
Mixed - Ratio > 2 but < 5
Diagnostic approach for DILI?
Not “what are you on”, but “what did you start recently”
Contact GP
Time course is critical:
- onset usually 1-12 weeks of starting
earlier is unusual (unless re-challenge)
may be several weeks after stopping
- resolution: 90% within 3 months of stopping
5-10%: prolonged - inadvertent re-challenge, seen in 6% (2% of these fatal)
Most likely to cause DILI?
32-45% Antibiotics (Augmentin, Flucloxacillin, Erythromycin, Septrin, TB drugs)
15% CNS Drugs (Chlorpromazine, Carbamazepine Valproate, Paroxetine,
5% Immunosupressants
5-17% Analgesics/musculskeletal
(Diclofenac…)
10% Gastrointestinal Drugs (PPIs…)
10% Dietary Supplements
20% Multiple drugs
What drugs dont cause DILI?
Low dose Aspirin
NSAIDs other than Diclofenac
Beta Blockers
HRT
ACE Inhibitors
Thiazides
Calcium channel blockers
AC, 20 year old male
Admitted unwell, jaundiced, severe toothache
Analgesia taken over last 72 hours
ALT & AST in > 3000
Prothrombin time 32 seconds (n<10)
What has he taken?
Too much paracetamol
Paracetamol metabolism (toxic)
Paracetamol > Enzyme:CYP2E1(CYP3A4, CYP1A2)> Toxic metabolites (NAPQI) > Covalent binding oxidative stress > Hepatocyte damage
What is the management of paracetamol induced fulminant hepatic failure?
N acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
Supportive to correct:
-coagulation defects
-fluid electrolyte and acid base balance
-renal failure
-hypoglycaemia
-encephalopathy
Paracetamol-induced liver failure: severity indicators
Late presentation
(NAC less effective >24 hr)
Acidosis (pH <7.3)
Prothrommbin time > 70 sec
Serum creatinine ≥ 300 µmol/l
Consider emergency liver transplant - otherwise 80% mortality
Ascites cause what?
Chronic liver disease (most)
- +/- Portal vein thrombosis
- Hepatoma
- TB
Neoplasia (ovary, uterus, pancreas…)
Pancreatitis, cardiac causes