Liver fibrosis is a buildup of collagen deposits in the liver in response to chronic disease. Over time, the collagen will start to disrupt the liver's architecture and will cause problems with normal liver functions. If the patient does not receive treatment, the issue can progress to full-blown cirrhosis, and the patient may need a liver transplant to fully address the issue. This condition can be seen in patients with fatty liver disease, hepatitis, alcoholism, and other conditions that impact the liver.
A patient with liver fibrosis may not notice symptoms at first. Over time, the liver's function declines and patients start to experience portal hypertension, changes in liver size, and other symptoms of dysfunction. A blood test can provide information about levels of liver enzymes in the blood, providing insight into whether the liver is functioning properly. Patients may also have palpable symptoms, like a grossly enlarged liver, and scarring to the liver can be seen on medical imaging studies.
In patients with known liver disease, treating the disease is important for preventing liver fibrosis. Doctors may recommend medications, dietary changes, and other measures to protect liver health. Previously healthy patients who develop liver fibrosis need screening to find out why. In some cases it is idiopathic, with no known cause, and in other instances it may reveal an underlying disease. Treating the disease is necessary to arrest the damage and prevent cirrhosis.
Patients who receive a diagnosis of liver fibrosis should meet with their doctors to discuss the meaning of the diagnosis and talk about treatment options. The available treatments depend on the patient's general level of health, age, and other factors. Patients may also qualify for clinical trials, providing access to new treatments, and may want to discuss this with their doctors. Clinical trials usually require patients to travel to the trial site, but provide free medical care as part of the trial and may offer other support such as temporary housing for trial participants.
It is possible to reverse the damage of liver fibrosis. The liver is a highly adaptable organ, and if people receive appropriate treatment, it may be able to recover. The reversibility of damage demonstrated in laboratory experiments also provides supporting evidence for the need to develop drugs to treat liver fibrosis by stimulating the liver to repair itself. As of 2011, such drugs were not available. Liver disease is a leading cause of disease and death in many nations and thus researchers have an interest in learning more about it.