Stages

[Brokther]

Just wondering about what are the stages of fibrosis/cirrhosis?

[AyrshireK]

There are different scales used to define liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.

The Metavir Scoring System :-

F0 - No Fibrosis - normal, healthy liver.

F1 - Mild Fibrosis - Fibrosis exists with expansion of portal zones.

F2 - Moderate Fibrosis - Fibrosis exists with expansion of most portal zones & occasional bridging.

F3 - Severe Fibrosis - Fibrosis exists with expanision of most portal zones, marked bridging and occasional modules.

F4 - Cirrhosis

The Ishak scale:- Scores from 0-6 where 6 = Cirrhosis.

F4 Fibrosis a.k.a. Cirrhosis is then also split into two categories Compensated Cirrhosis (where the liver although cirrhotic is coping with most of it's important jobs) and Decompensated Cirrhosis where it is struggling to work and even carry out it's most important jobs.

Compensated Cirrhosis

Stage 1 - Defined by No Varices / No Ascites

Stage 2 - Defined by Prescence of Varices but No Ascites

Decompensated Cirrhoiss

Stage 3 - Defined by Ascites +/- Varices.

Stage 4 - Defined by Bleeding +/- Ascites.

At any of these stages improvement in health is often possible.

Hope that helps

Katie

[Brokther in reply to AyrshireK]

Thank you for the information, do you know what symptoms accompany F3.

[AyrshireK in reply to Brokther]

There are unlikely to be many symptoms at F3, this is why liver disease is known as a silent one as symptoms often only start to occur when the liver is seriously damaged.

BLT has a page all about cirrhosis which I think I shared before and it lists symptoms of early stage liver disease. britishlivertrust.org.uk/li...

My hubby for example didn't know there was anything wrong with him at all until he presented with bleeding from varices and turned jaundiced so he was stage 4 cirrhotic and never even knew there was anything wrong until that point. Thankfully he's probably back around the stage 1 cirrhosis and thankfully compensated and pretty stable (endoscopy again tomorrow to check for varices and fingers crossed another all clear).

Katie

[Brokther in reply to AyrshireK]

Thanks again I will look at that site.