Liver Disease Consortium

Diseases of the liver may not come with symptoms and so it is often after one may have undertaken a blood test that some abnormalities are found. Before I go into explaining the meaning of each of the components of the liver function test (LFT), I shall run through a few preambles. Symptoms - what one may feel: Nothing loss of appetite Yellowish discoloration of the eyes Nausea and vomiting chronic tiredness dark urine  generalised skin itch light coloured stools swelling of the abdomen Apart from those that will be found to have an abnormal result sporadically, you can ask for a liver function test if you belong in any of the following: Family history of liver diseases, such as haemochromatosis you have a history referral to the intestinal system you have gall stone disease or a family history of same You drink alcohol over the limits you take performance enhancing drugs you suffer from eating disorder You take medications that may harm your liver - if in ...

Some of you may wonder why the liver has so much importance to demand so much attention. There are several reasons. I will explain in some small detail why you should not ignore your liver. 1. It is one of the largest organs of the body 2. It serves as a conduit through which most of the food we eat gets into our blood stream before being distributed to the rest of the body. After eating, food gets digested into small molecules. These are largely absorbed into the blood stream and which gets to the heart for pumping round the body. Between the heart and the intestines, is the liver - which further processes some of the food 3. The liver serves as a store reserve of food for intermediate requirements. Glycogen, a complex form of molecules of glucose is stored largely within the liver. The liver also stores several essential minerals and vitamins such as iron, copper and vitamin B12. 4. The liver is involved in ensuring that our clotting system does not become deranged. It produce...

https://www.mdcalc.com/maddreys-discriminant-function-alcoholic-hepatitis This is useful for medics and liver specialists only.

https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-gb/medical-calculators/ChildTurPuScore.htm

A question I get commonly asked is whether there is yet a cure for hepatitis B infection. I will attempt to provide an answer and some explanations in this post. Cure as defined for hepatitis B is achievable, depending on certain factors. In acute infection, by which we mean infection lasting less than 6 months occurring in adults, there is almost certainty that more than 8 out of ten persons would completely eradicate the virus from their system. The small proportion of those that are not lucky to clear the virus would progress to chronic infection. Chronic here, does not imply severity, but defines the fact that the infection has lasted beyond 6 months. In the latter scenario, one of 5 possibilities (see previous posts) would ensue. Not all chronically infected hepatitis B patients would need treatment. Note that I did not say, would not qualify. There is no need to swallow tablets and develop side effects from the drugs when it is not needed. Your specialist would investiga...

Implications of a positive hepatitis B test What screening test do clinicians normally undertake to check for hepatitis B? It is common practice, either as part of pre-employment exercise or in order to screen for blood transfusion that a small about of blood is obtained and test for some infections, one of which is viral hepatitis. Most laboratories carry out hepatitis B screening test. It is very surprising that in some countries, screening for hepatitis C is not done prior to phlebotomy for blood transfusion services. If a test returns as HBsAg reactive, what do I do? A reactive test means that you are secreting a protein in your blood, a product of the hepatitis B virus. The virus has infected your system and is now using some of your genetic materials to produce its products, one of which is the surface protein. This is secreted in excess in the blood stream and thus is a surrogate marker of infection by the virus. A reactive test does not reveal whether or not the in...

A very common misconception that has stuck with many is the fact that people with liver diseases are asked, or on their own, embark on restrictive diet, particularly, avoidance of protein. The truth is that food is very much linked to the liver. All meals that enter through our mouths pass through the liver to gain access to the rest of the organs of our bodies. When we eat bad diets, it can lead to liver problems. Fatty liver is an example of eating without discretion, and this can make the treatment of e.g. hepatitis C infection difficult and leading to poor response. Some foods, such as alcohol can worsen liver damage. Some poisonous mushrooms can lead to acute liver failure and death. Balanced diets improve liver function and immune function as well as lowers progression to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) in patients with liver diseases. General dietary recommendations for hepatitis patients 1. Regular balanced diets 2. Healthy calorie intake 3. Whole grain cereals, bre...

One of the commonest incidental findings on scan of the liver is fatty infiltration of the liver or rather, increased steatosis of the liver. It comes with so little explanation that has led many to lose their sleep as to what this implies. In reality, it is not an innocent finding, although to a large degree, many of the people that have this outcome on their scan results may not need to worry, as it is often self-limiting. Liver is described as infiltrated by fat - when more than 10-20% of the liver mass has been replaced by fat - making the liver appear "echobright" on ultrasound. Among causes of this anomaly are the following: 1. alcohol excess 2. obesity 3. hyperlipidaemia (high levels of fat in the blood) 4. diabetes 5. genetic (familial) 6. rapid weight loss 7. drug side effects fatty liver is divided into 2 broad forms: alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases When the fat is allowed to continue to build up, this can progress to injure th...

There has been a lot of interest regarding the role of this fungus-elaborated protein, known to contaminate foodstuff and linked to liver cancer.  Below are advocated approaches to control excess exposure. Continentally The Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa, an agency of the African union commission oversees efforts in the continent so as to ensure economic viability of crops grown in the region. Farmers Aflasafe, a safer fungus that competes with Aspergillus spp that produces the deleterious toxin is sprayed on plants on the farm... which helps to prevent this from forming. Post harvest: Ensure crops are dried and kept in cool environments When processing remove contaminated crops Store safe throughout till consumption Individually When processed for consumption, do not leave products for more than 1 month except storage is ideal Eat detoxifying foods Change your beverages to ones you are sure of non contamination NGL

Nimzing Ladep, MBBS, PhD, Specialist Certificate in Gastroenterology

This group exists to: 1. advocate for rationale pressure on governmental and non governmental organisations assist in the prevention and treatment of liver diseases, particularly in deprived communities of the world 2. educate people on the need to promote their health in order to prevent liver diseases, including: hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer  3. collaborate with scientists and the pharmaceutical industry to provide evidence-based treatment to patients with liver disease s in deprived economies  4. liaise with hospitals and specialists regarding putting in place palliative measures that can reduce traumatic deaths of those who may not survive late stages of presentation such as end stage liver cirrhosis and advanced liver cancer 5. to bridge research gaps in knowledge of management of liver diseases in developing countries versus developed countries.