Chronic Liver Disease

Excerpt

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is a progressive deterioration of liver functions for more than six months, which includes synthesis of clotting factors, other proteins, detoxification of harmful products of metabolism, and excretion of bile. CLD is a continuous process of inflammation, destruction, and regeneration of liver parenchyma, which leads to fibrosis and cirrhosis. The spectrum of etiologies is broad for chronic liver disease, which includes toxins, alcohol abuse for a prolonged time, infection, autoimmune diseases, genetic and metabolic disorders. Cirrhosis is a final stage of chronic liver disease that results in disruption of liver architecture, the formation of widespread nodules, vascular reorganization, neo-angiogenesis, and deposition of an extracellular matrix. The underlying mechanism of fibrosis and cirrhosis at a cellular level is the recruitment of stellate cells and fibroblasts, resulting in fibrosis, while parenchymal regeneration relies on hepatic stem cells. Chronic liver disease is an extremely common clinical condition, and the focus is done on the common etiologies, clinical manifestations, and management.