Jaundice as a Presentation of Heart Failure

On rare occasions the first manifestation of heart disease is jaundice, caused by passive congestion of the liver or acute ischaemic hepatitis. We looked for this presentation retrospectively in 661 patients referred over fifty-six months to a ‘jaundice hotline’ (rapid access) service. The protocol included a full clinical history, examination and abdominal ultrasound. Those with no evidence of biliary obstruction had a non-invasive liver screen for parenchymal liver disease and those with suspected heart disease had an electrocardiogram, chest X-ray and echocardiogram.

8 patients (1.2%), bilirubin 31–79 μmol/L, mean 46 μmol/L, had a primary cardiac cause for their jaundice. All had dyspnoea, an increased cardiothoracic ratio on chest X-ray and an abnormal electrocardiogram. The jugular venous pressure was raised in the 3 in whom it was recorded. In 6 patients the jaundice was attributed to hepatic congestion and in 2 to ischaemic hepatitis. All patients had severe cardiac dysfunction.

Jaundice due to heart disease tends to be mild, and a key feature is breathlessness. The most common mechanism is hepatic venous congestion; ischaemic hepatitis is suggested by a high aminotransferase.

A national survey of the provision of ultrasound surveillance for the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the sixth most common cancer worldwide and third most common cause of cancer related death, is closely associated with the presence of cirrhosis. Survival is determined by the stage of the cancer, with asymptomatic small tumours being more amenable to treatment. Early diagnosis is dependent on regular surveillance and the primary objective of this survey was to gain a better understanding of the baseline attitudes towards and provision of ultrasound surveillance (USS) HCC surveillance in the UK. In addition, information was obtained on the stages of cancer of the patients being referred to and discussed at regional multidisciplinary team meetings.

DESIGN

UK hepatologists, gastroenterologists and nurse specialists were sent a questionnaire survey regarding the provision of USS for detection of HCC in their respective hospitals.

RESULTS

Provision of surveillance was poor overall, with many hospitals lacking the necessary mechanisms to make abnormal results, if detected, known to referring clinicians. There was also a lack of standard data collection and in many hospitals basic information on the number of patients with cirrhosis and how many were developing HCC was not known. For the majority of new HCC cases was currently being made only at an incurable late stage (60%).

CONCLUSIONS

In the UK, the current provision of USS based HCC surveillance is poor and needs to be upgraded urgently.

Extra-hepatic manifestations of autochthonous hepatitis E infection

BACKGROUND

Autochthonous (locally acquired) hepatitis E is increasingly recognised in developed countries, and is thought to be a porcine zoonosis. A range of extra-hepatic manifestations of hepatitis E infection have been described, but have never been systematically studied.

AIM

To report the extra-hepatic manifestations of hepatitis E virus.

METHODS

Retrospective review of data of 106 cases of autochthonous hepatitis E (acute n = 105, chronic n = 1).

RESULTS

Eight (7.5%) cases presented with neurological syndromes, which included brachial neuritis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, peripheral neuropathy, neuromyopathy and vestibular neuritis. Patients with neurological syndromes were younger (median age 40 years, range 34-92 years, P = 0.048) and had a more modest transaminitis (median ALT 471 IU/L, P = 0.015) compared to cases without neurological symptoms [median age 64 years (range 18-88 years), median ALT 1135 IU/L]. One patient presented with a cardiac arrhythmia,twelve patients (11.3%) presented with thrombocytopenia, fourteen (13.2%) with lymphocytosis and eight (7.5%) with a lymphopenia, none of which had any clinical consequence. Serum electrophoresis was performed in 65 patients at presentation, of whom 17 (26%) had a monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance. Two cases developed haematological malignancies, acute myeloid leukaemia and duodenal plasmacytoma, 18 and 36 months after presenting with acute hepatitis E infection.

CONCLUSIONS

A range of extra-hepatic manifestations can occur with hepatitis E. Neurological and haematological features of hepatitis E infection are relatively frequent in this UK cohort, and result in significant morbidity which warrants further study.

Multicentre comparison of the Glasgow Blatchford and Rockall Scores in the prediction of clinical end-points after upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage

BACKGROUND

The Glasgow Blatchford Score (GBS) is increasingly being used to predict intervention and outcome following upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (UGIH).

AIM

To compare the GBS with both the admission and full Rockall scores in predicting specific clinical end-points following UGIH.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data on consecutive patients presenting to four UK hospitals were collected. Admission history, clinical and laboratory data, endoscopic findings, treatment and clinical follow-up were recorded. Using ROC curves, we compared the three scores in the prediction of death, endoscopic or surgical intervention and transfusion. Results  A total of 1555 patients (mean age 56.7years) presented with UGIH during the study period. Seventy-four (4.8%) died, 223 (14.3%) had endoscopic or surgical intervention and 363 (23.3%) required transfusion. The GBS was similar at predicting death compared with both the admission Rockall (area under ROC curve 0.804 vs. 0.801) and full Rockall score (AUROC 0.741 vs. 0.790). In predicting endo-surgical intervention, the GBS was superior to the admission Rockall (AUROC 0.858 vs. 0.705; P<0.00005) and similar to the full Rockall score (AUROC 0.822 vs. 0.797). The GBS was superior to both admission Rockall (AUROC 0.944 vs. 0.756; P<0.00005) and full Rockall scores (AUROC 0.935 vs. 0.792; P<0.00005) in predicting need for transfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite not incorporating age, the GBS is as effective as the admission and full Rockall scores in predicting death after UGIH. It is superior to both the admission and full Rockall scores in predicting need for transfusion, and superior to the admission Rockall score in predicting endoscopic or surgical intervention.

Outpatient management of patients with low-risk upper-gastrointestinal haemorrhage: multicentre validation and prospective evaluation

BACKGROUND

Upper-gastrointestinal haemorrhage is a frequent reason for hospital admission. Although most risk scoring systems for this disorder incorporate endoscopic findings, the Glasgow-Blatchford bleeding score (GBS) is based on simple clinical and laboratory variables; a score of 0 identifies low-risk patients who might be suitable for outpatient management. We aimed to evaluate the GBS then assess the effect of a protocol based on this score for non-admission of low-risk individuals.

METHODS

Our study was undertaken at four hospitals in the UK. We calculated GBS and admission (pre-endoscopy) and full (post-endoscopy) Rockall scores for consecutive patients presenting with upper-gastrointestinal haemorrhage. With receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves, we compared the ability of these scores to predict either need for clinical intervention or death. We then prospectively assessed at two hospitals the introduction of GBS scoring to avoid admission of low-risk patients.

FINDINGS

Of 676 people presenting with upper-gastrointestinal haemorrhage, we identified 105 (16%) who scored 0 on the GBS. For prediction of need for intervention or death, GBS (area under ROC curve 0.90 [95% CI 0.88-0.93]) was superior to full Rockall score (0.81 [0.77-0.84]), which in turn was better than the admission Rockall score (0.70 [0.65-0.75]). When introduced into clinical practice, 123 patients (22%) with upper-gastrointestinal haemorrhage were classified as low risk, of whom 84 (68%) were managed as outpatients without adverse events. The proportion of individuals with this condition admitted to hospital also fell (96% to 71%, p<0.00001).

INTERPRETATION

The GBS identifies many patients presenting to general hospitals with upper-gastrointestinal haemorrhage who can be managed safely as outpatients. This score reduces admissions for this condition, allowing more appropriate use of in-patient resources.

Autochthonous hepatitis E in Southwest England: a comparison with hepatitis A

The incidence of hepatitis A is falling. In contrast, autochthonous hepatitis E is an emerging infection in developed countries. The objective of this study was to compare both laboratory-confirmed cases of hepatitis A and autochthonous hepatitis E over a 2-year period in Cornwall and Devon and anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgG and anti-hepatitis E virus (HEV) IgG seroprevalence in blood donors. The databases of microbiology laboratories in Cornwall and Devon were searched for the number of diagnostic HEV and HAV assays performed during 2005-2006 and the number of confirmed cases of acute hepatitis A and hepatitis E detected. Patients were followed up until recovery or death. Sera from 500 blood donors from the regional centre were tested for HEV and HAV IgG. In total, 28 cases of autochthonous hepatitis E were identified from 838 assays, and 20 cases of hepatitis A were identified from 4503 assays. Compared to hepatitis A cases, patients with hepatitis E were older (mean age 61 vs. 45 years, P = 0.003), less likely to present in winter (P = 0.028) and had more complications (five vs. one). The IgG seroprevalence rates in blood donors were 45% for HAV and 16% for HEV. There was no relationship between HAV and HEV IgG seropositivity. Autochthonous hepatitis E may be more common than hepatitis A, affects older patients, is less likely to occur in winter and may be associated with more complications. Patients with acute hepatitis, whatever their age or travel history, should be tested for HEV.

The role of hepatitis E virus testing in drug-induced liver injury

BACKGROUND

Locally acquired hepatitis E is an emerging infection in developed countries and can be misdiagnosed as drug-induced liver injury.

AIM

To study the role of hepatitis E virus (HEV) testing in drug-induced liver injury.

METHODS

Retrospective review of a cohort of patients with suspected drug-induced liver injury (n = 69) and hepatitis E (n = 45). The standard criteria for drug-induced liver injury were applied. Patients with suspected drug-induced liver injury who met these criteria were retrospectively tested for HEV on stored sera taken at the time of presentation. The two cohorts were compared to determine variables that predicted either of the diagnoses.

RESULTS

Forty-seven out of 69 patients had criterion-referenced drug-induced liver injury. 22/47 were HEV negative and thus had confirmed drug-induced liver injury. 19/47 were not tested for HEV, as there was no sera available from the time of presentation. 6/47 were HEV positive and thus did not have drug-induced liver injury, but had hepatitis E infection. Compared to patients with confirmed drug-induced liver injury, patients with hepatitis E were significantly more likely to be male (OR 3.09, CI 1.05-9.08); less likely to present in November and December (0.03, CI 0.01-0.52); have lower serum bilirubin (P = 0.015); and higher serum alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.001) and alanine aminotransferase/alkaline phosphatase ratio (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury is not secure without testing for HEV.

Jaundice as a presentation of heart failure

On rare occasions the first manifestation of heart disease is jaundice, caused by passive congestion of the liver or acute ischaemic hepatitis. We looked for this presentation retrospectively in 661 patients referred over fifty-six months to a 'jaundice hotline' (rapid access) service. The protocol included a full clinical history, examination and abdominal ultrasound. Those with no evidence of biliary obstruction had a non-invasive liver screen for parenchymal liver disease and those with suspected heart disease had an electrocardiogram, chest X-ray and echocardiogram. 8 patients (1.2%), bilirubin 31-79 micromol/L, mean 46 micromol/L, had a primary cardiac cause for their jaundice. All had dyspnoea, an increased cardiothoracic ratio on chest X-ray and an abnormal electrocardiogram. The jugular venous pressure was raised in the 3 in whom it was recorded. In 6 patients the jaundice was attributed to hepatic congestion and in 2 to ischaemic hepatitis. All patients had severe cardiac dysfunction. Jaundice due to heart disease tends to be mild, and a key feature is breathlessness. The most common mechanism is hepatic venous congestion; ischaemic hepatitis is suggested by a high aminotransferase.