Liver fibrosis: from inflammation to profound liver injury. Hidden causes and health impact

Liver fibrosis is a condition in which excessive scar tissue builds up in the liver due to long-term injury or inflammation. This can lead to reduced liver function and impaired regeneration. Scar tissue can also block blood flow, causing healthy liver cells to die and more scar tissue to grow.

Treatment usually involves eliminating infections, lifestyle changes, and taking certain medications to reverse the damage caused by mild to moderate liver fibrosis. However, if the inflammation persists, liver fibrosis can progress to more serious conditions. Below you will find the causes, damage measurement, symptoms and available treatments.

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steps

A doctor identifies liver fibrosis by taking a biopsy from the liver using a large needle. A pathologist examines the sample under a microscope to assess the extent and type of damage.

Determining the degree of fibrosis is challenging because of the limited sample size. Doctors use scales such as Metavir, Ishak and Batts-Ludwig to define stages of fibrosis, taking into account the impact on the portal vein. These levels also measure the degree of fibrosis and the number of septa, fibrous bands in the biopsy sample.

The Metavir scoring system assesses the progression of fibrosis on a scale from A0 to A3, and the level of fibrosis is assessed from F0 to F3. Other scoring systems include F0, F1, F2, F3, F4, and F4 for different types of fibrosis.

Cirrhosis is a condition where liver scar tissue builds up due to uncontrolled fibrosis. The Metavir system identifies stage A3F3 as the most advanced type of fibrosis before the development of cirrhosis. The Ishak fibrosis score system, which ranges from 0 to 6, is more complex and can indicate different types of fibrosis. The most advanced stage of fibrosis before cirrhosis occurs is stage 5.

The Batts-Ludwig scale, a common tool in the United States, is slightly simpler and ranges from 0 to 4. It identifies various types of fibrosis, including portal fibrosis, rare portal-portal septa, fibrous septa, and definite or probable cirrhosis

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symptom

Fibrosis is a condition in which liver function is reduced, causing symptoms such as lack of appetite, weakness, exhaustion, weight loss, nausea, vomiting and discomfort in the upper right abdomen, according to MedicalNewsToday.

As fibrosis progresses to cirrhosis, symptoms can vary, but common indicators include a tendency to bruise or bleed easily, edema, jaundice, ascites, itchy skin, increased sensitivity to medications, cognitive problems, and dark urine.

Early symptoms of cirrhosis include poor appetite, feeling weak, unexplained exhaustion, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and discomfort in the upper right side of the abdomen. More advanced cirrhosis can lead to increased drug sensitivity, cognitive problems, and darkening of the urine.

Treatment

Liver fibrosis is a chronic liver disease that results from long-term inflammation of the liver, leading to the formation of fibrous scar tissue. Common causes include chronic alcohol abuse, viral hepatitis C or B, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which are often developed in people who are overweight, have diabetes or pre-diabetes, levels high fat and cholesterol and metabolic syndrome. Other common causes include hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease, bile duct obstructions, chronic heart failure, and autoimmune hepatitis.

Medications can also lead to liver fibrosis. Doctors suggest specific courses of treatment, such as stopping or limiting alcohol consumption, treating chronic viral hepatitis infections with antiviral drugs, balancing the diet, controlling fat, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, taking drugs to eliminate heavy metals, dissolving or removing bile duct obstructions, stopping the use of fibrosis-related drugs, and taking drugs that reduce the activity of the immune system.

Scientists have yet to develop drugs that directly reverse or treat liver fibrosis damage. However, research into anti-fibrotic drugs and natural remedies may help reduce fibrosis in certain circumstances.

For advanced liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis, additional treatments may be needed, including drugs to remove excess fluid, limit salt intake, remove toxins from the brain, reduce pressure in the veins of the stomach and esophagus, and perform transplant surgery to replace the liver affected with a healthy one from a donor.

Liver fibrosis is a condition in which chronic damage or inflammation builds up in the organ, limiting its function and repair. Treatment can reverse mild to moderate fibrosis, but it often doesn’t cause noticeable symptoms until it progresses. This can lead to irreversible damage and conditions such as cirrhosis.

Early detection of fibrosis is crucial, and people with risk factors should see a doctor and seek medical attention for symptoms of advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis.

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