Metabolic Diseases

1 Metabolic Diseases
2 Links to other pages on Liver

Metabolic Diseases is the generic term for diseases caused by an abnormal metabolic process. They can be congenital due to an inherited enzyme abnormality or acquired due to disease of an endocrine organ or failure of a metabolically important organ such as the liver. Metabolic diseases such as Wilson's disease, hemochromatosis, and alpha 1 - antitrypsin deficiency can lead to liver damage.

Wilson's disease is a rare inherited condition, mostly affecting young people. It is characterized by an inability to excrete copper into bile, resulting in the toxic accumulation of copper in the liver and nervous system. The types of liver prioblems liver problems thay can occur as a result of Wilson's Disease include fulminant hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Patients may also develop neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Hemochromatosis is an iron overload syndrome causing iron deposits and consequent damage to various organs, including the liver (cirrhosis), heart (heart failure), pancreas (diabetes), and pituitary gland (decreased sex drive and impotence). The disease may be due to an inherited increase in gut absorption of iron or to multiple blood transfusions, since iron is normally found in circulating red blood cells.

Alpha 1 - antitrypsin deficiency is an inherited disease that predisposes the affected person to emphysema (or lung destruction), especially with smoking. Alpha 1 - antitrypsin inactivates other enzymes, causing damage to organs if left unchecked. The lung is the most severely affected organ in patients with this disease, but approximately 10% of adult patients will also develop cirrhosis.

Gilbert's syndrome is a very common, mild liver disorder and is often discovered incidentally. The liver doesn't properly process a substance called bilirubin, which is produced by the breakdown of red blood cells. Bilirubin levels are therefore mildly elevated. Gilbert’s syndrome is a harmless condition but often causes anxiety before the condition is diagnosed. It requires no treatment and patients are simply reassured by their doctor about the innocent nature of this condition.

Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I is a very rare inherited metabolic disorder characterized by the complete absence of an enzyme which is normally found in the liver. In the absence of this enzyme, metabolic processes are hampered and abnormally high levels of bilirubin accumulate in the blood.Within the first few days of life, most infants with Crigler-Najjar syndrome type I develop persistent yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes, and whites of the eyes (jaundice).

Dubin-Johnson syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by mild jaundice throughout life.It is a very rare genetic disorder. A child inherits the condition, when it gets a copy of the defective gene from both parents.

Links to other pages on Liver

Liver Diseases

Diseases of the liver can range from mild infection to life-threatening liver failure. For most of these ailments, the first sign of a problem is a condition called jaundice. It is characterized by a yellowish coloring of the skin and the whites of the eye. It develops when liver cells lose their ability to process bilirubin, the yellowish-brown pigment found in bile. The liver can be harmed whenever injury or disease affects the rest of the body. For example, cancer may spread from the stomach or intestines to the liver, and diabetes, if not properly treated, may result in damage to the liver. Some diseases caused by parasites, including amebiasis and schistosomiasis, can damage the liver. Drug use, including long-term use of some prescription medications as well as illegal drugs, can also cause liver damage. Poisons can easily damage liver cells and even cause complete liver failure, especially the poisons found in certain mushrooms.