Description liver steatosis
Hepatic steatosis is the most common metabolic disorder of liver, which means that in hepatic tissue changes occur normal biological processes.
Mainly affects adults in middle age and above, but can also affect children. The most common causes of steatosis includealcoholism, increased intake of nutrients – obesity, impaired metabolism of fats (lipids) – hyperlipidemia (including an illness known under the term of hypercholesterolemia – that elevated cholesterol), diabetes (diabetes mellitus), malabsorption syndromes (malabsorption of nutrients, e.g. after bowel resection – removing part of the intestine), poor nutrition (malnutrition) – especially lack of protein in the diet, some drugs (tetracyclines, corticosteroids, salicylates, valproate), and in some cases fail to reveal the cause.
In civilized countries, the main cause of excessive food intake. To fatty liver failure occurs mainly due to three marches. These isexcessive intake of fats (lipids), fatty acids and carbohydrates into the liver disorder dispensing triacylglycerol (the form of fat in the blood) from liver cells into the bloodstream or increased formation of fatty substances in the liver.
Most often the problem is the increased intake of dietary energy substrates, ie overeating and unfavorable dietary composition. Very often ill people, which later manifest diabetes (diabetes mellitus).
Patients usually do not have any problems. More often it is an incidental finding in preoperative or monitoring for other diseases like. If you already have any difficulties appear, usually associated with enlargement of the liver and by increasing their weight (weight of the liver can be increased up to 4 ×). Such a patient then complains of pressure in the abdomen, bloating, fatigue, reduced performance, alternating constipation and diarrhea.
In severe cases (eg. With acute fatty alcoholics in pregnancy, called. Reye’s Syndrome – see below), you may experience fatigue, nausea and vomiting, jaundice (jaundice), impairment of consciousness up to coma, kidney failure, damage to the heart muscle, pancreas (pancreas) and brain functions (ie, central nervous system). Beginning this condition can be mistaken for common “flu”. The cause of death is not alone liver damage, but any resulting complications.
Reye’s syndrome is a metabolic disease that affects children aged from 6 weeks to 16 years.Usually preceded by a viral infection treated with acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin like drugs, aspirin).In predisposed children occurs to brain damage and severe steatosis of the liver or other organs yet. In the context of the prevention of this condition is recommended not to administer these drugs in children and replace them if necessary paracetamol (Panadol, aspirin – active substance paracetamol). However, there are described other cases of this disease, with acetylsalicylic acid related.
Regarding pregnancy steatosis, it is important to realize that pregnancy for the woman onerous condition. Some women may develop steatosis, which subsides after termination of pregnancy and during pregnancy is not clinically asymptomatic. If you develop acute fatty liver of pregnancy, a serious condition, then the situation is not favorable for both fetus and mother, and it is necessary abortions. Currently indicates mortality of 20%.
Net steatosis is fully reversible condition. Ie., If that is induced by alcohol and not yet to the development of cirrhotic changes in the liver tissue (liver tissue remodeling) and after complete abstinence will return to normal. The same is true even in obese people who start a diet and normalized their weight.
Risk factors for hepatic steatosis
Risk factor for the disease is especially increased food intake, inadequate diet, and obesity. These three factors usually go hand in hand. Furthermore, alcoholism (which is in our lands probably the most common cause steatosis), diabetes, impaired fat metabolism (hyperlipoprotinémie), intestinal resection, intestinal bypass (bridging operations in the gut, e.g. due to obstacles tumor), certain drugs such as tetracyclines of groups of antibiotics, corticosteroids (medicines dampening the inflammatory response), salicylates (painkillers and fever – aspirin, aspirin) and valproate (a drug used for epilepsy, among other things).
Prevention of hepatic steatosis
Steatosis is more or less a civilization disease, most can be prevented by reducing fat and sugar in the diet, reducing body weight, proper control of diabetes (diabetes) and limiting alcohol.
Signs and symptoms of liver steatosis
Nonalcoholic fatty liver is usually no effect, and therefore takes place invisibly. Her findings are therefore random. In some cases, where there is a significant enlargement of the liver, the patient may feel pressure, tension or stress in the right upper quadrant, sometimes pain. Was associated with a feeling of fullness, decreased energy, fatigue, constipation alternating with diarrhea.
Acute alcoholic steatosis or pregnancy severely underway. Initially dominated by fatigue, nausea and vomiting in the later development of jaundice, impaired consciousness, kidney failure, damage to the pancreas, the heart and the condition can result in coma.
Treatment of liver steatosis
Treatment depends on the cause. When caused by alcohol, it is necessary to leave alcohol and observe dietary measures the reduction of fats in the diet.
For pregnancy steatosis that occurs acutely, the state either manageable or it is necessary termination of pregnancy.
For steatosis arising on the basis of obesity and metabolic disorders, primary liver is usually appropriate to initiate a proper diet not only to reduce weight, but also by adjusting the values of blood fats and sugars (for diabetics / diabetes).
In some cases so they indicated. Hepatoprotektiva, which are drugs protecting liver cells from (toxic) damage and increasing the detoxification capacity of the liver (as prescribed in e.g. Essential forte N and Silymarin).
How can I help myself
If you have been diagnosed with steatosis, you should follow the recommendations of doctors, ie. Eat in moderation, do not eat too much fatty and sugary foods, overeating and drinking alcohol definitely leave. These basic steps will greatly improve the status of liver tissue.
Complications of liver steatosis
A possible complication is the development of fatty liver disease called. Steatohepatitis, ie. An inflammatory liver disease. To indicate a testing of liver enzymes in the blood that are raised higher may also be blood sugars (impaired glucose tolerance or hyperglycemia), fats (hyperlipidemia) or even uric acid (hyperuricemia). It is always necessary to eliminate infection, metabolic and alcoholic origin of this condition.
Steatosis can continue the development of cirrhosis, which is a reconstruction of connective tissue and the liver can be a serious condition associated with significant hepatic impairment.
Other names: fatty liver, fatty liver, fatty liver, hepatic steatosis