Acute hepatitis
Background
Causes of acute hepatitis
- Acetaminophen toxicity (most common cause of acute liver failure in the US[1])
- Viral hepatitis
- Toxoplasmosis
- Acute alcoholic hepatitis
- Toxins
- Ischemic hepatitis
- Autoimmune hepatitis
- Wilson's disease
Drug or Toxin Related Liver Disease
- Liver damage from drugs or toxins may be cytotoxic from the primary drug or its metabolites, or may be caused by veno-occlusive disease or hypersensitivity disease[2]
- Common Drugs and Toxins
- Acetaminophen
- Amiodarone
- Amphotericin
- Anabolic steroids
- Azathioprine
- Carbamazepine
- Chlorpromazine
- Cisplatin
- Contraceptives
- Cyclophosphamide
- Erythromycin
- Gold salts
- Haloperidol
- Isoniazid
- Ketoconazole
- Lovastatin
- Methotrexate
- Methoxyflurane
- Methyldopa
- Phenobarbital
- Phenytoin
- Quinidine
- Salicylates
- Tetracycline
- Valproic acid
- Verapamil
Clinical Features
Acute Hepatitis Features
- Nausea/Vomiting
- RUQ pain
- Enlarged, tender liver
- Fever
- Jaundice
- Bilirubinuria
Differential Diagnosis
RUQ Pain
- Gallbladder disease
- Pancreatitis
- Acute hepatitis
- Pancreatitis
- GERD
- Appendicitis (retrocecal)
- Pyogenic liver abscess
- Bowel obstruction
- Cirrhosis
- Budd-Chiari syndrome
- GU
- Other
- Hepatomegaly due to CHF
- Peptic ulcer disease with or without perforation
- Pneumonia
- Herpes zoster
- Myocardial ischemia
- Pulmonary embolism
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Evaluation
- LFTs
- AST, ALT > 1000s
- Elevated bilirubin
- Elevated alk phosphatase
- INR
- Consider acetaminophen level
- Acute hepatitis panel
- Hep A Ab IgM
- Hep B cAb IgM
- Hep B sAg
- Hep B sAb
- Hep C Ab
Anti-hepatitis A, IgM | Hepatitis B surface antigen | Anti-hepatitis B core, IgM | Anti-hepatitis C | Interpretation |
---|---|---|---|---|
Positive | Negative | Negative | Negative | Acute hepatitis A |
Negative | Positive | Positive | Negative | Acute hepatitis B |
Negative | Positive | Negative | Negative | Chronic hepatitis B infection |
Negative | Negative | Positive | Negative | Acute hepatitis B; quantity of hepatitis B surface antigen is too low to detect |
Negative | Negative | Negative | Positive | Acute or chronic hepatitis C; additional tests are required to make the determination |
Management
- Treat underlying cause
Disposition
Consider admission for:
- Bilirubin > 20
- PT 50% above normal
- Hypoglycemia
- Hypoalbuminemia
- Any GI bleeding
See Also
References
- ↑ Ostapowicz G, Fontana RJ, Schiodt FV, et al. Results of a prospective study of acute liver failure at 17 tertiary care centers in the United States. Ann Intern Med. 2002 Dec 17; 137(12): 947-54.
- ↑ Oyama, LC: Disorders of the Liver and Biliary Tractin Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, et al (eds): Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice, ed 8. St. Louis, Mosby, Inc., 2014, (Ch) 107: p 1186-1204