The liver is one of the body’s most vital organs, conducting over 500 essential functions in the body. It eliminates blood pollutants, promotes digestion, and helps control hormones and cholesterol. The medical word for an enlarged liver is hepatomegaly. It is not an illness but rather a symptom of underlying disorders. Typically, it indicates a liver disease that causes inflammation and swelling or, in rare instances, a heart disease. Due to its function as a filter, the liver is susceptible to toxic excess. Too many toxins or lipids in the blood might induce liver inflammation.
Inflammation is a typical reaction when the body attempts to repair an injury or fight an infection. However, if inflammation in the liver persists, it might lead to liver damage. Hepatomegaly often indicates that the liver’s tissue is not properly working. Certain drugs, like amiodarone and statins, may potentially induce this inflammation.
Metastatic cancer, an abnormality in the heart or blood vessels, an obstruction in the veins that drain the liver, or a combination of these factors are common causes of an enlarged liver. In addition, health problems, a family history of health issues, and lifestyle are all determinants and risk factors of hepatomegaly.
Itchiness
Itchiness or pruritis is one of the symptoms prevalent in patients with hepatomegaly. The itching might be restricted to one area, like the lower arm and thighs, or it could be systemic, affecting the whole body.
According to a study published in 2015, pruritis may be caused when bile salts accumulate beneath the skin due to liver illness. Bile salts are produced from bile acids in the body. In addition, studies have shown that elevated bilirubin levels activate the neurons responsible for itching in the body’s periphery. The bile contains a pigment called bilirubin. High bilirubin levels are a common indicator of liver illness. People suffering from liver illness and itching may have increased ALP.
Scientists revealed that keratinocytes, the cells that make up the skin’s outermost layer, may be involved in the itchiness associated with PBC. However, not everyone with liver illness and elevated bile salt levels experiences itching, and researchers have not established a correlation between pruritis intensity and bile salt levels.
Moreover, lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is an abnormally abundant lipid in the bloodstream of those with hepatomegaly which is also associated with pruritus. LPC circulates throughout the body and may cause an allergic response that results in itching.
