Cirrhosis

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Cirrhosis is a "liver disease in which the normal microcirculation, the gross vascular anatomy, and the hepatic architecture have been variably destroyed and altered with fibrous septa surrounding regenerated or regenerating parenchymal nodules."[1]

Cause / etiology

The two most common causes, at least in women, may be alcoholism which causes alcoholic hepatitis and obesity with causes steatohepatitis.[2] These two risks may have a "supra-additive interaction."[3]

Diagnosis

Clinical prediction rules exist to help diagnosis cirrhosis.[4] If the AST/ALT ratio ≥1 and platelet count ≤ 150,000/mm3 (Pohl's Index) then cirrhosis is very likely.[4]

Complications

Clinical practice guidelines are available for the treatment of cirrhosis and its complications.[5]

Ascites

For more information, see: Ascites.


Esophageal varices

A clinical prediction rule is available to help detect patients at risk.[6] For predicting clinically significant portal hypertension(hepatic venous pressure gradient ≥ 10 mmHg):[6]

At a cutoff value >0.06 the accuracy is:[6]

For predicting esophagel varices:[6]

(spider angiomas = 1 if present and 0 if absent)

At a cutoff value >-1.02 the accuracy is:[6]

Patients with a thrombocytopenia and a palpable spleen are more likely to have large esophageal varices.[7][8] The cutoff for thrombocytopenia ranges from 40,000[8] to 150,000[7].

Emergency portacaval shunt may be a better treatment than endoscopic sclerotherapy.[9]

Hepatic encephalopathy

For more information, see: Hepatic encephalopathy.


Hepatorenal syndrome

For more information, see: Hepatorenal syndrome.


Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

For more information, see: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.


Spontaneous bacteremia

Spontaneous bacteremia may occur.[10][11] Mong patients with Child-Pugh Score indicating class C, half of bacteremias may not have a definite focus.[11]

Prognosis

MELD Score

For more information, see: MELD Score.

The MELD Score can help predict mortality. An online calculator is available.

Child-Pugh score

For more information, see: Child-Pugh Score.

The Child-Pugh Score can help predict mortality. An online calculator is available.

References

  1. Anonymous. Liver cirrhosis. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  2. Liu B, Balkwill A, Reeves G, Beral V, on behalf of the Million Women Study Collaborators. (2010). "Body mass index and risk of liver cirrhosis in middle aged UK women: prospective study.". BMJ 340: c912. DOI:10.1136/bmj.c912. PMID 20223875. Research Blogging.
  3. Hart CL, Morrison DS, Batty GD, Mitchell RJ, Davey Smith G (2010). "Effect of body mass index and alcohol consumption on liver disease: analysis of data from two prospective cohort studies.". BMJ 340: c1240. DOI:10.1136/bmj.c1240. PMID 20223873. Research Blogging.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Borroni G, Ceriani R, Cazzaniga M, Tommasini M, Roncalli M, Maltempo C et al. (2006). "Comparison of simple tests for the non-invasive diagnosis of clinically silent cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis C.". Aliment Pharmacol Ther 24 (5): 797-804. DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03034.x. PMID 16918883. Research Blogging.
  5. Garcia-Tsao G, Lim JK, Lim J (2009). "Management and treatment of patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension: recommendations from the Department of Veterans Affairs Hepatitis C Resource Center Program and the National Hepatitis C Program.". Am J Gastroenterol 104 (7): 1802-29. DOI:10.1038/ajg.2009.191. PMID 19455106. Research Blogging.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Berzigotti A, Gilabert R, Abraldes JG, et al (May 2008). "Noninvasive prediction of clinically significant portal hypertension and esophageal varices in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis". Am. J. Gastroenterol. 103 (5): 1159–67. DOI:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2008.01826.x. PMID 18477345. Research Blogging.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Sarangapani A, Shanmugam C, Kalyanasundaram M, Rangachari B, Thangavelu P, Subbarayan JK (2010 Jan-Mar). "Noninvasive prediction of large esophageal varices in chronic liver disease patients.". Saudi J Gastroenterol 16 (1): 38-42. DOI:10.4103/1319-3767.58767. PMID 20065573. Research Blogging.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Sharma SK, Aggarwal R (2007). "Prediction of large esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis of the liver using clinical, laboratory and imaging parameters". J. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 22 (11): 1909–15. DOI:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2006.04501.x. PMID 17914969. Research Blogging.
  9. Orloff MJ, Isenberg JI, Wheeler HO, et al. (July 2009). "Randomized trial of emergency endoscopic sclerotherapy versus emergency portacaval shunt for acutely bleeding esophageal varices in cirrhosis". J. Am. Coll. Surg. 209 (1): 25–40. DOI:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2009.02.059. PMID 19651060. Research Blogging.
  10. Ortiz J, Vila MC, Soriano G, et al (April 1999). "Infections caused by Escherichia coli resistant to norfloxacin in hospitalized cirrhotic patients". Hepatology 29 (4): 1064–9. DOI:10.1002/hep.510290406. PMID 10094947. Research Blogging.
  11. 11.0 11.1 Monte Secades R, Casariego Vales E, Mateos Colino A, et al (November 1999). "[Clinical profile and prognosis of bacteremia in patients with cirrhosis based on the Child-Pugh classification]" (in Spanish; Castilian). Rev Clin Esp 199 (11): 716–21. PMID 10638235[e]