Pathology of the Liver, Gall Bladder, and Pancreas Flashcards
Anatomy of the Liver
1. ——— gm (approximately 2.5% of body weight)
1400 to 1600
Anatomy of the Liver
2. ——– supply-portal vein (60-70%) and —– artery (30-40%).
Dual blood
hepatic
Anatomy of the Liver
3. Zonation in liver parenchyma-
note gradient of activity of many hepatic enzymes, usually see a lobular architecture.
Anatomy of the Liver
- Major diseases of the liver are:
viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic liver disease (fatty liver, etc.), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Anatomy of the Liver
- Hepatic injury-
see hepatocyte degeneration or accumulation of toxic products, necrosis and apoptosis of hepatocytes, inflammation (may facilitate or impede healing), regeneration and fibrosis.
Liver B. Physiological Functions
1. Maintains
metabolic homeostasis-processes amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins
Liver B. Physiological Functions
- Synthesizes
serum proteins
Liver B. Physiological Functions
- Primary site for
detoxification of xenobiotics and waste products
Liver B. Physiological Functions
- Enormous functional
reserve and regenerative capacity can mask early hepatic injury
C. Cirrhosis
1. Among top 10 most common
causes of death in the U.S and the primary route for liver-related deaths.
Cirrhosis
- Etiologies include:
Alcohol (EtOH) abuse (toxicity, nutritional deprivation), viral hepatitis, non-EtOH steatohepatitis, biliary disease, obesity, DM, medications, iron overload.
Cirrhosis
o Iron overload can lead to
hepatocyte death and inflammation.
Cirrhosis
- Morphologic changes are:
1) bridging fibrous septa, 2) parenchymal nodules, 3) changes in architecture, with parenchymal injury and scarring as the end result.
Cirrhosis
A fibrotic liver has a markedly
compromised blood supply and decreased function.
Cirrhosis
Complications include
reduced liver function, portal hypertension and increased risk for hepatocellular Ca
Cirrhosis
. Clinical manifestations:
o Nonspecific symptoms e.g. weight loss, weakness. Reserve may mask symptoms.
o Liver failure
o Portal hypertension
D. Portal hypertension
1. Increased pressure of
portal blood flow can occur: prehepatic (obstructive thrombi), intrahepatic (cirrhosis), and post hepatic (right sided heart failure).
- Consequences of portal hypertension:
1) ascites (excess fluid in peritoneal cavity-fluid is generally serous in nature), 2) esophageal varices, 3) splenomegaly, 4) hepatic encephalopathy, 5) hypogonadism.
Jaundice and cholestasis
- Excess
bilirubin. 2.0 mg/dl
• Unconjugated: Insoluble, toxic
• Conjugated: Soluble, nontoxic
Jaundice and cholestasis;
2. Causes of jaundice:
hemolytic anemias (#1), bilirubin overproduction, hepatitis, obstruction of bile flow.
Jaundice and cholestasis;
- Function of hepatic bile:
1) emulsification of fats with bile salts, 2) elimination of bilirubin, excess cholesterol, xenobiotics, etc.
Jaundice and cholestasis; symptoms
- Yellow color of skin (classically, jaundice) and sclera (classically, icterus).
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
. Viral hepatitis-systemic viral infections can involve
liver e.g. Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), yellow fever, rubella, herpesviruses.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Generally use “hepatitis” for
hepatotropic viruses e.g. A, B, C, D, E and G
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis A is a
benign, self-limiting disease. HAV viremia is transient-rarely screen donor blood for HAV.
• Fecal-oral route of transmission, seen with overcrowding/unsanitary conditions. Ingestion of contaminated water and food
• Incubation 2-6 weeks
• NO carrier state. No chronic disease
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
Possible results of Hepatitis B infection:
a. acute hepatitis with recovery and clearance (Self-limited in 90% cases)
b. nonprogressive chronic hepatitis
c. progressive disease ending in cirrhosis
d. asymptomatic carrier state. Hepatitis B induced liver disease is an important precursor for hepatocellular carcinoma.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
Hepatitis B
- DNA virus
- Parenteral contact/sexual spread
- Incubation 4-26 weeks
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
Hep b
• Host immune response determines the
ultimate outcome. Hepatocyte damage-likely reflects CD8+ cytotoxic T cell damage to Hepatitis B infected hepatocytes. Optimal outcome is to obtain viral clearance without a lot of collateral damage to liver tissues.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver. Hep B • Serology: • Vaccine: • Increased risk of
Remains in blood
95 % protective Ab response
hepatocellular response
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C is a major cause of liver disease worldwide. Unlike Hepatitis B, with Hepatitis C infection the
progression to chronic disease occurs in the majority of patients and cirrhosis develops in 20-30% of infected individuals.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C
With Hepatitis C, note persistent
infection, chronic hepatitis.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C
- RNA virus
- Parenteral contact/sexual spread
- Incubation 7-8 weeks, acute phase is asymptomatic
- No vaccine because of genomic instability
- Cirrhosis occurs in approximately 80-85%, and may develop 5 to 20 years later.
- Risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C
• Most frequent viral infection associated with
the need for liver transplantation. Previously treated with interferon and ribavirin. Treatment with protease and nucleoside inhibitors now considered curative.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C
o Combination drugs:
Harvoni (2014, sofosbuvir & ledipasvir). 12 week course, several others since 2014; often given with ribavirin
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C
o Curative in
most patients. Side effects fatigue and headache.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis C
o Drugs are Very
expensive (Harvoni $95K, Mavyret [2017] 12 weeks $40K)
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
- Hepatitis D (requires presence of
Hepatitis B for infection) occurs as a co-infection. Co-infection presents like Hepatitis B-usually transient and self-limited.
F. Infectious Disorders of the Liver.
8. Hepatitis E (similar to A) is an
enterically transmitted, water-borne infection-high mortality rate in pregnant women.
Hep E is Not associated with
chronic liver disease.
- Hepatitis G (some similarity to C but is not hepatotropic) infection does not
increase liver enzymes such as serum aminotransferases.
Hep G Replicates in
bone marrow and spleen.
- Autoimmune hepatitis is a
chronic, progressive, hepatitis variant with an unknown etiology.
Autoimmune hep
Pathology is associated with
T-cell mediated autoimmunity.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
- Drug and toxic injury may be
predictable (intrinsic) or unpredictable (idiosyncratic). Generally adults affected more frequently than pediatric patients, females more than males.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
- Predictable hepatic injury with established
liver toxins such as acetaminophen, carbon tetrachloride, EtOH.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
- Always include exposure to a
drug or toxicant in the differential diagnosis of liver disease.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
- Alcoholic liver disease
o 3 overlapping forms:
1) hepatic steatosis, 2) EtOH hepatitis, 3) cirrhosis (only develops in a minority of patients).
o 60 % of chronic liver disease associated with overuse of alcohol
o 40-50 % of deaths due to cirrhosis
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
- Fatty liver from
EtOH-little fibrosis at onset, increased deposition with EtOH consumption.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
Fatty liver form:
Fatty change is
reversible if discontinue EtOH consumption.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
Fatty liver form:
Mallory or Mallory-Denk bodies:
clumps of cytokeratins, eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
6. Final stage of cirrhosis
-the liver resembles from both macro and micro cirrhosis developing from hepatitis.
F. Drug, Toxin, Alcohol associated liver disease.
- EtOH liver disease is a
chronic disorder, steatosis, hepatitis, progressive fibrosis, cirrhosis, marked perturbations of vascular perfusion. Only develop cirrhosis in a small fraction of alcoholics.
G. Metabolic liver disease
- Most common is
non-EtOH fatty liver disease; other conditions include hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, and alpha 1 anti-trypsin deficiency.
G. Metabolic liver disease
- Non EtOH fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-primary cause liver disease in US. NAFLD can arise
with or without nonspecific inflammation.
G. Metabolic liver disease
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Patients develop
hepatocyte injury, and 10-20% progress to cirrhosis (seen primarily in obese patients).
G. Metabolic liver disease
NASH:
• Approximately—— obese persons have some form of fatty liver disease
• Liver biopsy necessary to —–
70%
establish the diagnosis, note increased liver enzymes in 90% of affected patients.
G. Metabolic liver disease
Hemochromatosis. Excessive accumulation of
body iron. Most is deposited in liver, pancreas and heart.
G. Metabolic liver disease
Hemochromatosis:
4 hereditary forms
(autosomal recessive, chromosome 6) and acquired form with excess iron intake.
G. Metabolic liver disease
Hemochromatosis:
• Liver features:
Micronodular cirrhosis with hemosiderin, Hepatosplenomegaly, diabetes mellitus, skin pigmentation