Cirrhosis - Complications

Variceal Bleeding. One of the most serious repercussions of portal hypertension is the development of varices, which are blood vessels that enlarge to provide an alternative pathway for blood diverted from the liver. In about two-thirds of patients they form in esophagus (the "food pipe"). They pose a high risk for rupture and bleeding because of the following characteristics:

They are thin-walled.
They are often twisted.
They are subject to high pressure.
Internal bleeding from these varices (variceal bleeding) occurs in 20% to 30% of cirrhosis patients. The risk of death from a single episode can reach 70%.

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Bleeding commonly recurs within two weeks of the first episode, but after six weeks, the risk for recurrence is the same as for patients who have not had a bleeding event.

Factors that predict variceal bleeding in general include the following:

Ascites.
Encephalopathy.
Large veins.

Factors that can increase the danger for a bleeding episode in high-risk individuals include the following:

Moderate to intense exercise.
Bacterial infection.
Certain times of the day. Eating increases portal pressure, and there is a greater risk for bleeding in the evening. A lesser but still significant risk occurs in the early morning.

It is important for patients to be screened for esophageal varices and treated with preventive beta blockers if they show signs of risk. Between 30% and 40% of patients with cirrhosis experience bleeding, which carries a mortality rate of between 20% and 35%. Some experts recommend that all newly diagnosed patients be screened using endoscopy. Screening should also be considered for all previously diagnosed patients who have not been screened but would benefit from preventive treatments.

Kidney Failure

Portal hypertension can cause a number of secondary complications including kidney failure. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as naproxen, may increase the risk for kidney failure.

Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding can occur from abnormal blood clotting, which can be result of a combination of complications associated with cirrhosis. They include vitamin K deficiencies and thrombocytopenia -- a drop in platelets (the blood cells that normally initiate the clotting process). Some research now suggests that thrombocytopenia itself may be associated with more advanced liver failure.

Infections

Bacterial infections are very common in advanced cirrhosis, and may even increase the risk for bleeding. Most bacterial infections, including those in the urinary, respiratory, or gastrointestinal tracts, develop when patients are in the hospital. Abdominal infections are a particular problem in cirrhosis and occur in up to 25% of patients with cirrhosis within a year of diagnosis.