Cryptogenic hepatitis
Hepatitis - the scourge of our time
- A hepatitis of unknown origin, which lasts more than six months. Cryptogenic hepatitis diagnosis can only be made after a thorough examination of the patient with the exception of infectious, toxic, and autoimmune causes of the disease.
How common is hepatitis, cryptogenic
Today, about 15% of chronic hepatitis are cryptogenic, that is, after the most detailed examination of the causes of their development could not be detected. With great care these patients screened for viral hepatitis, as in most cases, chronic hepatitis are viral in nature.
A feature of cryptogenic hepatitis is their penchant for continual progression and transition to cirrhosis. It is also possible the formation of a malignant tumor on the background of cryptogenic hepatitis.
Therefore, patients with cryptogenic hepatitis are under constant medical supervision, and not only on treatment, but also periodically undergo re-examination, which aims to identify the causes of the disease and its severity and activity.
The severity of disease is determined by the content of liver enzymes (ALT levels from 3 to 10 standards and norms above). The degree of activity of cryptogenic hepatitis may be minimal, low, moderate and high (calculated on a scale from 1 to 18).
Symptoms of cryptogenic hepatitis
The disease usually begins quietly with a small rise in temperature (but it may not be), general malaise, headache, joint pain
Joint pain - how to understand what is going on?
, Reducing appetite. Then, join pain or heaviness in the right hypochondrium. The pains are of a permanent nature, are aggravated by physical activity and errors in diet. The pain can be localized not only in the right upper quadrant, but in the upper abdomen, sometimes the patient has a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
There are also nausea, vomiting, bitter or unpleasant taste in the mouth, bloating, stool disturbances in the form of diarrhea or constipation - all these signs are related to digestive disorders due to insufficient production of bile by the liver cells.
Sclera and the skin of the patient become jaundiced, the urine becomes dark, discolored feces, there is itching. Jaundice is a sign that does not break down bilirubin in the liver, so it increases blood levels. It increases not only the liver, but often the spleen. But there are anicteric form of the disease, they can proceed as quickly and quietly and seriously.
Throughout disease patients concerned about small (low-grade) temperature, severe weakness and fatigue - even in the absence of other symptoms, they can not do their usual work. The patient becomes irritable, often cries, his mood is constantly changing, disturbed sleep
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.
In the future, there are vascular changes: a persistent redness of the palms, spider veins (telangiectasia), and petechial hemorrhages (petechiae) on the skin of the whole body, increased bleeding (nasal, uterine bleeding, and so on) from the slightest injuries generate significant bruising.
Cryptogenic hepatitis may occur long, with some necrotic liver cells and replaced by connective tissue, liver gradually loses its function cirrhosis.
Diagnosis of cryptogenic hepatitis
Cryptogenic hepatitis Diagnosis begins with an analysis of complaints of the patient, his physician examination, instrumental and laboratory research.
For laboratory tests on blood taken biochemical liver tests, are being identified bilirubin (total, direct and indirect), liver enzymes, levels of gamma-albumin and albumin. Determine as indicators of blood clotting.
From instrumental studies performed ultrasound of the abdomen (you can see an increase in volume and increased density of the liver and spleen enlargement of the inferior vena cava), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver, a liver biopsy (a tissue taken for histological examination). If necessary in order to avoid serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract endoscopy of the esophagus, stomach and intestines.
Treatment of cryptogenic hepatitis
During exacerbation of the disease the patient is assigned to bed rest, without exacerbation - excludes heavy exercise. The patient should always follow the diet (table number 5 - boiled low-fat diet, intake of 5-6 times a day).
Drug treatment should be comprehensive and tailored individually. It includes disintoxication therapy (intravenously saline, 5% glucose, reopoligljukin etc.), adsorbents (smectite, activated charcoal
Activated carbon - old but indispensable
, Polisorb, laktofiltrum). This treatment allows to excrete toxins in the urine and feces. Restoring the normal intestinal microflora (probiotics reception - bifiform, bifidumbacterin, laktobakterina etc.) restores normal intestinal digestion.
Assign also drugs are beneficial to the liver cells (hepatoprotectors) ursosan example, Essentiale, LP-52, Kars.
Cryptogenic hepatitis require constant medical supervision.
Galina Romanenko