Question

The following lab result were obtained from a patient that is experiencing weight loss with nausea & vomiting and later developed jaundice and an enlarged liver.

Total Bilirubin	20 mg/dL
Conjugated Bilirubin	10 mg/dL
ALP	Mildly elevated
AST	Significantly elevated
ALT	Moderately elevated
Albumin	Decreased
Gamma Globulin	Increased

Question:

What disease process is most likely in this patient?

Answer 1

this patient most likely has cirrhosis of liver.

Cirrhosis occurs when the normal flow of blood, bile and hepatic metabolites is affected due to fibrosis.

symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, nausea & vomiting , jaundice along with hepatomegaly.

AST and ALT will be moderately elevated , with AST>ALT.

there is elevated bilirubin levels as there is decrease in hepatic clearance of bilirubin

in advanced cirrhosis there is low levels of albumin owing to its reduced synthesis by hepatocytes and water & sodium retention that dilutes albumin in extracellular space.

elevated gamma globulins is due to the immulogical response