Re: House -- liver numbers change as disease progresses

[Guest guest]

As I understand it -- and someone else should feel free to correct me --in the

earlier stages of liver disease, the LFTs go up because the liver is showing

damage and that damage is reflected in the higher numbers. As liver disease

progresses, the liver enlarges, then shrinks as it becomes cirrhotic and, while

the liver is severely compromised, it hasn't got enough functioning mass to show

high LFTS because it's operating at a base level. So, some people get a measure

of false hope as numbers go down. When they are in end stage disease, that's

not good.

In my case, I had two ERCPs that were catastrophic and caused damage to my liver

and pancreas. My LFTs were not good, but they have improved to virtually normal

levels and my liver has not shown signs of shrinking after several MRCPs so

those are accurate numbers.

I hope this helps.

Penny

>

> My request was specific to the comment about the " the phenomenon that we all

know -- that LFTs go higher initially, but

> they drop to more " normal " levels when the damage has been done. " That is not

something I found in my research, and I want to know more about it.

[Guest guest]

Thanks! That makes sense. , Mom to 18 yo daughter UC 6/95, PSC 3/09To: Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 11:21:08 AMSubject: Re: "House" -- liver numbers change as disease

progresses

As I understand it -- and someone else should feel free to correct me --in the earlier stages of liver disease, the LFTs go up because the liver is showing damage and that damage is reflected in the higher numbers. As liver disease progresses, the liver enlarges, then shrinks as it becomes cirrhotic and, while the liver is severely compromised, it hasn't got enough functioning mass to show high LFTS because it's operating at a base level. So, some people get a measure of false hope as numbers go down. When they are in end stage disease, that's not good.

Penny

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