What are the symptoms of chronic liver cirrhosis?

Typical Clinical Manifestations of Chronic Cirrhosis

The typical clinical manifestations of chronic cirrhosis include fatigue, anorexia, dyspepsia, and in some patients, jaundice. It may also be accompanied by symptoms of other complications. The details are as follows:

1. General Condition

In the early stages, there are no obvious subjective symptoms or signs, and liver enlargement and hardening are often discovered during physical examinations.

2. Portal Hypertension

Manifestations include splenomegaly, ascites formation, and esophageal and gastric variceal bleeding. Among these, hypersplenism is the most common, leading to anemia due to thrombocytopenia caused by recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding. It is often accompanied by varying degrees of decreased white blood cell and neutrophil counts. Additionally, spontaneous bacterial infections may occur, such as pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, skin and soft tissue infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, and urinary tract infections. In severe cases, acute renal failure may occur, even threatening life.

3. Endocrine Disorders

Both males and females may exhibit increased estrogen levels, manifested as gynecomastia, testicular atrophy, menstrual disorders, etc. Hypothyroidism may also occur, primarily presenting as edema, muscle weakness, and arrhythmia caused by hyponatremia and hypokalemia.

4. Electrolyte Metabolism Abnormalities

Significant protein loss leads to negative nitrogen balance in the body, resulting in malnutrition and extreme weakness, ultimately progressing to a cachectic state.

5. Cholestasis

As the disease progresses, itching may occur due to elevated bilirubin levels in the blood. If left untreated, obstructive jaundice may develop.

Recommendations

Individuals with chronic hepatitis are advised to actively undergo antiviral treatment and control disease progression with medications such as Entecavir Tablets or Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate Tablets under medical supervision. Additionally, maintaining a light and easily digestible diet while avoiding spicy and stimulating foods is recommended to prevent exacerbation of symptoms.