Latest news with #cirrhosis
Health Line
29-05-2025
- General
- Health Line
Can I Have a Normal Liver Function Test with Cirrhosis?
Yes, it is possible to have a normal liver function test if you have cirrhosis, but this is rare. Cirrhosis is a condition that causes scarring and damage of the liver, which can prevent it from digesting food and removing waste from your body. Liver function tests (LFT) are blood tests that can assess how well your liver is functioning and detect any damage. However, in some cases, LFTs may show normal results despite the presence of cirrhosis in the liver. This can occur during the early stages of cirrhosis, when the liver has severe scarring or damage, but the body is still able to compensate for its decreased function. This is known as compensatedcirrhosis. It typically results in unnoticeable or mild symptoms, such as nausea and fatigue. A person can have compensatedcirrhosis for years and not feel unwell or see any signs of liver damage. What other methods can help detect cirrhosis? While LFTs may not always detect cirrhosis, there are several other tests that can pick up on potential liver damage. This includes: Medical history. A healthcare professional can identify your risk of developing cirrhosis by asking about your medical history, including if you have autoimmune disorders, have been exposed to hepatitis viruses in the past, or have a history of excessive alcohol consumption. Physical exam. When performing a physical exam, a healthcare professional may encounter potential signs of liver damage, such as a swollen or tender abdomen, yellowing of the eyes, or skin changes. Complete blood count. A complete blood count can pick up on reduced liver function. Ultrasound. A healthcare professional can pick up on potential signs of liver damage during an ultrasound. Liver biopsy. A liver biopsy involves taking a small sample of tissue from the liver, which can confirm a diagnosis of cirrhosis. However, this method is reserved for instances where there is a high suspicion of cirrhosis, but other tests have been inconclusive. If you think you may be at risk of developing cirrhosis, but are not noticing any signs, consider speaking with a healthcare professional. They can perform some tests to identify any potential damage.
Medscape
29-05-2025
- General
- Medscape
Rifaximin Lowers Hepatic Encephalopathy Risk in Cirrhosis
Rifaximin significantly reduces the risk for hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with cirrhosis, with greater effectiveness observed with longer treatment durations. METHODOLOGY: Rifaximin is recommended as an add-on therapy to lactulose for preventing the recurrence of HE, with its efficacy noted in a prior meta-analysis; however, few studies have examined its use for HE prevention. Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials involving patients with cirrhosis aged 18 years or older. Patients received either rifaximin or nonrifaximin interventions, such as nonabsorbable disaccharides, other antibiotics, L-ornithine-L-aspartate, or placebo. Primary outcomes included the incidence of HE, all-cause mortality, and adverse events. TAKEAWAY: Researchers included 12 randomized controlled trials involving 1939 patients. Compared with nonrifaximin interventions and placebo, rifaximin significantly reduced HE incidence (relative risk [RR], 0.58; P = .000), as analyzed from 10 studies. Rifaximin was significantly more effective than placebo (RR, 0.57; P = .000), but its effects were noncomparable to those of nonabsorbable disaccharides. = .000), as analyzed from 10 studies. Rifaximin was significantly more effective than placebo (RR, 0.57; = .000), but its effects were noncomparable to those of nonabsorbable disaccharides. Rifaximin treatment durations longer than 1 month were more effective in reducing HE risk (RR, 0.55; P = .000). = .000). In patients with prior HE episodes, rifaximin reduced recurrence risk by 51% compared with other interventions and placebo (five trials). Among patients receiving transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS), rifaximin reduced HE risk by 30% compared with placebo ( P = .027; two trials). = .027; two trials). No significant differences were observed in all-cause mortality or adverse events between the groups, based on analyses of nine and six trials, respectively. IN PRACTICE: 'RFX [rifaximin] therapy is effective and well-tolerated in preventing HE and can be used as the first choice in the prophylaxis of HE after TIPSS,' the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Yangyang Hu, Hebei Medical University Third Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China, and published online in PLOS One . LIMITATIONS: The analysis excluded unpublished literature, potentially introducing publication and reporting bias. Only randomized controlled trials were included, and six lacked blinding, which could have affected the stability of the results. Variability in rifaximin interventions (eg, drug dosage and treatment duration) may have also affected the findings. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province of China. The authors declared no competing interests. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication. Credit Lead image: Dubovdaniilyu/Dreamstime Medscape Medical News © 2025 WebMD, LLC Cite this: Edited by Manasi Talwadekar. Rifaximin Lowers Hepatic Encephalopathy Risk in Cirrhosis - Medscape - May 29, 2025.
Health Line
28-05-2025
- General
- Health Line
Can You Donate Part of Your Liver to Someone with Cirrhosis?
Liver donation can offer hope to people with later-stage liver disease. Cirrhosis (liver scarring) is typically not reversible, so treatment aims to manage symptoms and help prevent further complications. If a person wishes to become a liver donor, they and the recipient will need to consider certain factors and undergo evaluation before deciding on this option. What is living liver donation? Living liver donation is a procedure in which a healthy adult donates a portion of their liver to someone with end stage liver disease. Living liver donation is possible because the liver is the only solid organ in the human body that can regenerate itself completely. In healthy donors, the donated liver portion is typically about half the total liver, and this can fully regenerate within a few months. Who can receive a living liver donation? Living liver donation is an option for patients with end stage liver disease and various other conditions that lead to liver failure, such as cirrhosis. If you have a family member or friend who would like to donate part of their liver to you, speak with your transplant team to open up the discussion around this option. What do liver donors need to know before donating? When considering liver donation, you'll want to take into account certain factors, such as: Donor assessment: Any organ donor must have a thorough evaluation to make sure they're healthy enough to donate. This will also include blood tests such as ALT and albumin to measure liver function. Understanding: It's strongly encouraged that a donor understand the recipient's liver disease, their outlook, and the risks involved with the procedure for both parties. This information can help you make an informed decision about donation. Aftercare: After donation, both the donor's and the recipient's liver cells will start to regenerate. It's important that you are aware of what you can expect following the procedure, including timelines for recovery, strategies to aid healing, and when to expect follow-ups with your care team. Are there any conditions that disqualify someone from being a liver donor? Yes, you will not be able to donate if you have a diagnosis of certain conditions that could affect the health of your liver or increase your risks of complications, such as cirrhosis or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (previously known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis). Blood tests such as the ALT (alanine aminotransferase) test and albumin test are commonly used to assess liver function. The ALT test can detect liver damage or disease, often before symptoms appear, while the albumin test measures levels of a protein made by the liver, with low levels potentially indicating liver disease. Can I donate anonymously to someone I don't know? Yes, it's possible to donate part of your liver to someone you don't know. This is called non-directed or anonymous donation. Because the liver is able to regenerate, you can safely donate one part (or lobe) to someone in need. You do not have to be a particular blood type to apply to donate, as liver donors do not necessarily have to be the same blood type. How long does it take to recover after liver donation? Donor surgery typically takes about 6 hours. Both the donor and recipient will typically stay in the hospital from 5 to 7 days, with close monitoring by their healthcare team while they recover. After you donate, your liver cells will regenerate, and the organ will grow back to 90% of its original size within 6 to 12 weeks for healthy donors. After you leave the hospital, it's important to work closely with your healthcare team to ensure your liver is healing properly.
Medscape
09-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Non-Invasive Scores May Aid in Distinguishing Liver Diseases
Non-invasive biomarkers and scoring systems demonstrated effectiveness in differentiating chronic liver disease (CLD) from cirrhosis; non-invasive fibrosis scores such as the Lok index, King's score, fibrosis index, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) showed strong capability. METHODOLOGY: Researchers compared cirrhosis with CLD caused by viral infections, autoimmune conditions, and primary biliary cholangitis, focusing on the comparison of different biomarkers and non-invasive scores and their utility in predicting hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis. They conducted a retrospective observational study at a hospital in Romania from January 2021 to December 2023 and included 250 adult patients (median age, 64 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of liver disease. Blood samples were collected during standard clinical evaluations, and a series of tests were conducted. The analysis incorporated multiple non-invasive scoring systems, including the fibrosis-4 index; King's score for liver fibrosis; Lok index for liver fibrosis; and various haemogram-derived ratios, such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to assess the effectiveness of the scores and haemogram-derived ratios in differentiating CLD from cirrhosis. TAKEAWAY: Among the 250 participants, 113 had CLD without cirrhosis (72.57% women) and 137 had liver cirrhosis (34.31% women). Albumin-bilirubin scores and the risk for mortality were significantly higher in the cirrhosis group than in the CLD group ( P < .001 for both). < .001 for both). The Lok index demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve [AUC], 0.89; sensitivity, 86.61%; specificity, 78.85%). Moreover, strong discriminatory power was shown by non-invasive markers, including the King's score (AUC, 0.864), fibrosis index (AUC, 0.856), and NFS (AUC, 0.836). Patients with cirrhosis had a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ( P < .001) and a lower platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio ( P = .002) than those with CLD. IN PRACTICE: "[The study] findings have important clinical implications, particularly in tailoring non-invasive diagnostic strategies to specific patient populations," the authors wrote. "Collectively, these findings may support a more nuanced, etiology-aware application of non-invasive fibrosis scores and inflammatory indices in clinical hepatology," they added. SOURCE: This study was led by Abdulrahman Ismaiel, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It was published online on April 29, 2025, in the Journal of Clinical Medicine . LIMITATIONS: The study's retrospective design limited causal inferences, and its single-centre nature may have affected generalisability. The lack of long-term follow-up data prevented the assessment of clinical outcomes like decompensation and mortality. Additionally, imaging techniques for the evaluation of liver fibrosis were not incorporated. DISCLOSURES: This research was partially funded by an internal grant from the "Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The authors reported having no conflicts of interest.
