Non-Infectious Liver Disease, Cirrhosis & Portal Hypertension

By completing this question set, you will be able to distinguish NAFLD from alcoholic liver disease by histologic pattern, clinical context, and LFT ratio; calculate and interpret Maddrey's Discriminant Function to guide treatment decisions in severe alcoholic hepatitis. You will predict acetaminophen hepatotoxicity risk from the clinical context and explain why NAC prevents zone 3 necrosis. You will diagnose hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease from their classic clinical presentations and targeted laboratory abnormalities, and explain why Wilson's acute liver failure has features paradoxically different from all other causes. You will trace the stellate cell activation cascade to cirrhosis and portal hypertension, and interpret MELD and Child-Pugh scores to assess disease severity and transplant need. You will explain why splanchnic vasodilation is the initiating event for ascites, variceal hemorrhage, hepatorenal syndrome, and dilutional hyponatremia, and trace the pathophysiologic chain for each complication. You will identify the diagnostic criteria for SBP and explain why albumin prevents hepatorenal syndrome in that setting. You will grade hepatic encephalopathy, identify precipitants that must be corrected, and explain how lactulose works via colonic acidification. You will apply SAAG to distinguish portal hypertension-related ascites from other causes. You will apply HRS diagnostic criteria and explain why the kidneys are structurally normal. You will identify platypnea and orthodeoxia as the clinical signature of hepatopulmonary syndrome and explain the contrast echocardiography finding. You will apply BCLC staging and Milan criteria to determine the appropriate treatment strategy for HCC.