CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER; AN ANALYSIS OF 71 CASES

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Abstract
The case histories of 71 patients with portal cirrhosis are reviewed with particular reference to etiologic factors and clinical findings. The significance of age, alcoholism, and syphilis are in accordance with previously accepted concepts. Previous hepatic dis-sease and exposure to hepatotoxic agents did not occur in significant degree in this series. The commonest complaints were ascites, abdominal pain, edema, nausea, vomiting, weakness and jaundice; enlargement of the liver was the commonest physical finding. Fever, leukocytosis, and elevated sedimentation rate were found in a significant number of patients and probably reflect active inflammatory changes in the hepatic parenchyma. The possible relationship of the adm. of morphine to the development of hepatic coma is discussed briefly, and it is suggested that the cirrhotic liver may be unable to conjugate glucuronic acid with morphine, permitting the passage of free morphine, which may be more active pharmacologically than bound morphine.