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Hepatitis C: What happens in end-stage liver disease?
By Mayo Clinic staffOriginal Article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hepatitis-c/AN00758
- With Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist
Michael F. Picco, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Michael F. Picco, M.D.
Michael F. Picco, M.D.
Dr. Michael Picco has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999. He is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. Dr. Picco is an assistant professor of medicine at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and a consultant in gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic in Florida.
He has authored numerous publications in the area of gastroenterology, including original research, editorials and textbook chapters. He works with a team of gastroenterologists that takes care of complex gastrointestinal conditions and has a particular interest in diarrheal illnesses and inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease). He is also active in medical education in training new gastroenterologist and internists.
"Mayo Clinic's website is an invaluable resource for patients and their families," Dr. Picco said. "Informed patients are better able to participate in their own health care. A patient's participation is vital to the treatment of his or her disease. I hope to assist in helping patients understand their digestive problems and current treatments that are offered. This will allow for better communication between patients, their physicians and other health care professionals."
Dr. Picco serves as a reviewer of new research for several medical journals in the area of gastroenterology and is an active member of the American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Gastroenterology and the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. He serves on numerous committees that address physician training, research and clinical practice in gastroenterology, both at Mayo Clinic and at the national level.
"Patients need to know about their disease, what to expect, the latest treatments and side effects so that they can make informed decisions about their health care. Gastrointestinal disease affects not only patients but also their families. My goal is to assure that our website provides accurate, reliable information and resources for patients. We must always provide the latest, most cutting-edge information to assist patients in dealing with their medical problems," Dr. Picco said.
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- Hepatitis C: What happens in end-stage liver disease?
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Question
Hepatitis C: What happens in end-stage liver disease?
My brother has been told he has end-stage hepatitis C. What does this mean?
Answer
from Michael F. Picco, M.D.
End-stage hepatitis C means the liver has been severely damaged by the hepatitis C virus. The hepatitis C virus slowly damages the liver over many years, often progressing from inflammation to scarring (fibrosis) to permanent, irreversible scarring (cirrhosis). A majority of infected people don't even realize the damage has occurred.
Once you have cirrhosis, the liver is unable to heal itself. Treatment just tries to keep damage from worsening. (Although, in rare cases, cirrhosis can be reversed.) Symptoms of serious end-stage liver disease can begin to appear:
- Fatigue
- Persistent or recurring yellowing of your skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Abdominal swelling due to fluid accumulation (ascites)
- Disturbances of thinking
In some cases, the cirrhosis leads to liver cancer. More often, your liver continues to deteriorate to the point where the liver loses most or all of its function — liver failure. In addition, people with cirrhosis may also develop:
- Gastrointestinal bleeding due to enlarged veins in the esophagus (esophageal varices)
- Brain and nervous system damage due to the accumulation of toxins in the bloodstream (hepatic encephalopathy)
The only effective treatment for people with end-stage liver disease is a liver transplant. Chronic hepatitic C virus is the most frequent cause of liver transplantation in the United States. Most people who receive a liver transplant for hepatitis C survive for at least five years after their transplant, but almost always, the hepatitis C virus returns.
If you're diagnosed with hepatitis C or end-stage liver disease, it's very important that you see a doctor who specializes in gastrointestinal diseases or liver diseases (hepatologist).
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- The progression of liver disease. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/progression/. Accessed March 9, 2012.
- Hepatitis C. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/hepatitisc/. Accessed March 9, 2012.
- Chopra S. Clinical manifestations and natural history of hepatitis C virus infection. www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 9, 2012.
- Brown RS, et al. Liver transplantation for hepatitis C virus infection. www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed March 26, 2012.
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