Re: Stages

[Guest guest]

I have found that there are four stages:

the portal stage, the periportal stage, the septal stage, and the

cirrhotic.

Does anyone know what occurs at each of these stages? I have been

told that my son is in the very early stages of the disease. I

imagine that this means the Portal Stage. Hmmm.

, mother of 19 yr old (UC 12/04) (PSC 8/05)

> How do you figure out what stage you are in?

[Guest guest]

Blondie

Can only be done through a liver biopsy which is then graded by a

pathologist using a microscope. The four stages end with stage four being

cirrhosis

Best

jd, 45

UC 1973, Jpouch 2000, Chronic Pouchitis 2001, PSC 2004, Stage 3

Southern, IL

krmpotich@...

Stages

> How do you figure out what stage you are in?

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[Guest guest]

blondiebet1 wrote:

> How do you figure out what stage you are in?

>

Some weeks ago, Barb Henshaw posted the following which I found to be

extremely helpful:

PSC - Histologically, the disease can be classified into 4 stages.

Stage 1: Histologic analysis in stage 1 disease identifies degeneration

of the epithelial cells lining the bile ducts associated with

inflammatory cell ductal and periportal triad infiltration and scarring.

Stage 2: Stage 2 disease is characterized by fibrosis, paucity of bile

ductules, periportal inflammatory cell infiltration, and piecemeal

necrosis of the periportal hepatocytes.

Stage 3: In stage 3 disease, severe degenerative changes are associated

with disappearance of the bile ducts, portal-to-portal fibrous septa,

and periportal cholestasis.

Stage 4: Stage 4 depicts end-stage disease characterized by secondary

biliary cirrhosis. At this point you are Stage 4 PSC, but only stage A

Cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis has 3 stages, they are:

Stage A cirrhosis (also called “Compensated Cirrhosis”) means that the

liver is still doing enough of its job.....to keep you relatively well.

No " complications " of cirrhosis have started. You will still have

problems with your PSC, but the cirrhosis isn’t causing any additional

problems.

Stage B cirrhosis (also called “Beginning of Decompensation”) means that

" complications " are beginning to appear. Examples of " complications "

are ascites, or varices, or encephalopathy.

Stage C cirrhosis (also called “Decompensated Cirrhosis”) means that the

liver is not able to do its job....... " complications " (ascites, varices,

and encephalopathy) are worsening.

For the longest time, we lived in a state of constant panic, after all

Ken had Stage 4 PSC and Cirrhosis! But, (thankfully) Ken’s Cirrhosis

went on and on (Like athan, Ken has had cirrhosis since 1999) and we

couldn’t figure out what was going on. When I finally learned about the

different stages of cirrhosis, it all made sense.