Abstract
Cirrhosis is characterized by fibrosis and nodule formation of the liver, secondary to a chronic injury, which leads to alteration of the normal lobular organization of the liver. Various insults can injure the liver, including viral infections, toxins, hereditary conditions, or autoimmune processes. With each injury, the liver forms scar tissue (fibrosis), initially without losing its function. After a long-standing injury, most of the liver tissue gets fibrosed, leading to loss of function and the development of cirrhosis. According to an interesting study published in the current issue of the Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases; “Cardiac Changes in Cirrhotic Patients”, 70% of the studied patients with liver cirrhosis have cardiac dysfunction in the absence of other risk factors for cardiac diseases. In addition, the degree of cardiac dysfunction is correlated with the severity of liver disease of cirrhotic patients. According to the study of ‘Assessment of Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Related Liver Diseases’; published in the current issue of the Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases; cirrhotic hepatitis C patients have thyroid abnormalities higher than non-cirrhotic patients do. It is intensely related to the severity of liver affection and the advancing of Child score. Serum bilirubin, prothrombin time, duration of disease and degree of liver cirrhosis are dependent risk factor for TSH abnormalities. TSH, FreeT4 and Free T3 can be considered to be useful prognostic indices.
Highlights
Cirrhosis is characterized by fibrosis and nodule formation of the liver, secondary to a chronic injury, which leads to alteration of the normal lobular organization of the liver
Chronic liver diseases usually progress to cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is associated with a wide range of cardiovascular changes including hyperdynamic circulation, pulmonary vascular abnormalities, and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy
Summary
Cirrhosis is characterized by fibrosis and nodule formation of the liver, secondary to a chronic injury, which leads to alteration of the normal lobular organization of the liver. The liver forms scar tissue (fibrosis), initially without losing its function. Most of the liver tissue gets fibrosed, leading to loss of function and the development of cirrhosis [1]. Chronic liver diseases usually progress to cirrhosis. Other causes of cirrhosis include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Budd-Chiari syndrome, drug-induced liver cirrhosis, and chronic right-sided heart failure. Patients with cirrhosis can be asymptomatic or symptomatic, depending on whether their cirrhosis is clinically compensated or decompensated. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis usually present with a wide range of signs and symptoms arising from a combination of liver dysfunction and portal hypertension. Multiple organs are affected with gastrointestinal, renal, pulmonary, cardiological and endocrine manifestations [1]
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