Fatty Liver Disease and RNA-Containing Virus Quiz

Fatty Liver Disease and Cirrhosis

• Fatty Liver Disease (FLD) can be caused by increased fatty acid synthesis, decreased oxidation of fatty acids, or impaired release of lipids from carrier proteins.
• FLD is common in heavy drinkers, alcoholics, and can be caused by drugs/chemicals and solvents.
• FLD can lead to liver injury, cirrhosis, cancer, and liver failure if not controlled.
• Diagnosis of FLD involves liver enzymes (AST/ALT), ultrasound, CT/MRI, and biopsy.
• Alcoholic Liver Disease includes three stages of progression: alcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and alcoholic cirrhosis.
• Cirrhosis manifestations include liver failure, portal hypertension, ascites, and collateral circulation formation.
• Cirrhosis can result from alcoholic liver disease, chronic hepatitis, severe liver necrosis, and less commonly, repeated liver injury, long-standing bile duct obstruction, or genetic/autoimmune disease.
• Manifestations of cirrhosis include hepatic encephalopathy, clotting disorders, increased estrogen levels, and loss of osmotic pressure.
• Extensive scarring interrupts and disorganizes lobule architecture, affecting all aspects of liver function in cirrhosis.
• Portal hypertension and reduced blood flow are results of interrupted blood circulation through the liver in cirrhosis.
• Treatment of cirrhosis and portal hypertension includes endoscopic ligation/ablation of varices, drugs to reduce portal hypertension, and liver transplant.
• Reye Syndrome affects infants and children, characterized by fatty liver with liver dysfunction, cerebral edema with neurologic dysfunction, and a mortality rate of 25%.