Tutorial title - Hepatobiliary System - Patterns of Liver injury & repair

18 important questions on Tutorial title - Hepatobiliary System - Patterns of Liver injury & repair

What is the principle cell in scar formation and what happens when chronic injury is interrupted?

  • The principle cell in scar formation is the stellate cell.
  • Activated into highly fibrogenic myofibroblasts.
  • Scar deposition begins in space of disease.
  • When chronic injury is interrupted, stellate cell activation ceases, leading to scar condensation and thinning.
  • MMPs break apart the scars, resulting in scar reversal.
Keywords: stellate cell, chronic injury, MMPs, scar reversal.

What are the components of LFTs in hepatitis investigations and their significance?

LFTs in hepatitis investigations include:
  • Bilirubin levels: Elevated levels indicate liver dysfunction.
  • AST, ALT levels high: Suggest hepatocellular injury.
  • ALP, GGT elevated: Indicate obstruction.
These tests help determine the cause of liver issues, with enzymes at least 3x greater than normal being significant.

Describe the characteristics of cirrhosis as mentioned.

  • Cirrhosis involves progressive injury and fibrosis.
  • It develops nodules of regenerating hepatocytes surrounded by scars.
  • Nodules can be micronodular (less than 3mm) or macronodular (greater than 3mm).

Keywords: cirrhosis, fibrosis, nodules, micronodular, macronodular.
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What are the mechanisms of toxic hepatitis?

Toxic hepatitis mechanisms include:
  • Dose-dependent mechanism: Involves pharmacological hepatotoxicity, direct hepatocyte damage, or blocking metabolic processes. Example: Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) or paracetamol (acetaminophen).
  • Idiosyncratic mechanism: Unpredictable, not dose-dependent, due to enzyme deficiency. Example: Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, lack of enzymes to metabolize drugs, making them toxic regardless of dose.

What is the role of serum biochemistry in hepatitis investigations?

Serum biochemistry in hepatitis investigations involves:
  • Urea: Assesses glomerular filtration rate.
  • Creatinine: Evaluates kidney function.
  • Electrolytes: Checks for imbalances.
These components help in understanding the overall metabolic state and kidney function in hepatitis patients.

What is ductular reaction and its association with liver disease?

Ductular reaction involves the proliferation of interhepatic bile ducts and canals of Hering in response to liver injury and other forms of liver disease. Proliferation of biliary ductules is associated with fibrosis and inflammation. Keywords: ductular reaction, bile ducts, liver disease, fibrosis, inflammation.

What are the markers of reversible cell injury in the liver?

Markers of reversible cell injury include:
  • All swelling due to increased water accumulation (hydropic change).
  • Increased permeability from failure of the Na+/K+ ATPase pump.
  • Intracellular accumulation of substances like copper (Wilson's disease), iron (hemochromatosis), and fat (steatosis).

How is toxic hepatitis diagnosed?

Diagnosis of toxic hepatitis involves:
  • Ruling out other causes of jaundice.
  • Looking at risk factors.
  • Conducting a history and physical exam.

Describe the blood serology and radiology methods used in hepatitis investigations.

Blood serology and radiology in hepatitis investigations include:
  • Blood serology: Tests for antibodies and nucleic acid for hepatitis viruses.
  • Radiology: Utilizes ultrasounds, CT, and MRI for imaging.
These methods help in diagnosing and assessing the extent of liver damage.

List the primary diseases of the liver mentioned.

Primary diseases of the liver include:
  • Viral hepatitis
  • NAFLD
  • Alcoholic liver disease
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
Keywords: primary diseases, liver, viral hepatitis, NAFLD, alcoholic liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma.

How is necrosis characterized in liver injury?

Necrosis is characterized by:
  • Predominance in ischemic/hypoxic injury.
  • Cell swelling, membrane blebs, and cell rupture.

What are the clinical features of hepatitis?

Clinical features of hepatitis include:
  • Features of acute phase response (non-specific).
  • Jaundice.
  • Hepatomegaly or splenomegaly.
  • Right upper quadrant pain.
  • Pedal edema.
  • Dark urine color change.
  • Changes in stool.
  • Easy bruising and spontaneous hemorrhage.
  • Anasarca.
  • Features of hypoglycemia.
  • Features of hepatic encephalopathy.
  • Confusion that may progress to coma.
  • Weight loss.
  • Bilirubinuria.

What are the complications associated with hepatitis?

Complications of hepatitis include:
  • Water & electrolyte imbalances: Causes dehydration, acidosis, hypokalemia.
  • Chronic carrier state: Leads to viral hepatitis infections.
  • Cholestatic hepatitis
  • Fulminant hepatitis
  • Liver cirrhosis
  • Malignant transformation: Leads to hepatocellular carcinoma.
These complications can severely impact health.

What are the secondary diseases of the liver listed?

Secondary diseases of the liver include:
  • HF
  • Extrahepatic infections
  • Metastatic tumors
Keywords: secondary diseases, liver, HF, extrahepatic infections, metastatic tumors.

What distinguishes apoptosis in liver diseases?

Apoptosis is:
  • Seen in many forms of liver disease.
  • Characterized by hepatocyte shrinkage, nuclear chromatin condensation (pyknosis), and nuclear fragmentation (karyorrhexis).
  • Cellular fragmentation into acidophilic apoptotic bodies (councilman bodies).

Explain the function and significance of α-1 Antitrypsin in liver health.

α-1 Antitrypsin is an antiprotease that:
  • Prevents protease destruction: Protects against inflammation.
  • Deficiency: Causes emphysema and liver destruction.
This protein is crucial in maintaining lung and liver health by inhibiting destructive enzymes.

How is hepatitis classified based on time frame and etiology?

Hepatitis classification:
  • Acute: < 26 weeks.
  • Chronic: > 26 weeks, almost always fibrosing.
  • Infective: Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D, F, & G.
  • Non-infective: Toxic hepatitis (alcohol), autoimmune hepatitis, iatrogenic (paracetamol, Wilson's).

What are the mechanisms of damage in viral hepatitis?

Damage in viral hepatitis occurs through:
  1. Cytopathic mechanism: Structural alteration of the host cell by the virus without the immune system.
  2. Immunogenic mechanism: Immune-mediated injury where the immune response attacks infected hepatocytes presenting viral Ag on MHC Class I to CD8+ then to CD4+ (inflammation).

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