title: [Liver diseases in the elderly].
abstract: Liver diseases in the elderly have aroused less interest than diseases of other organs, since the liver plays a limited role in aging. There are no specific liver diseases of old age, but age-related anatomical and functional modifications of the liver cause changes in the frequency and clinical behavior of some liver diseases compared with those in younger patients. This review discusses the most important features of liver function in the healthy elderly population, as well as the features of the most prevalent liver diseases in this age group, especially the diagnostic approach to the most common liver problems in the elderly: asymptomatic elevation of serum transaminases and jaundice.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hepatologia, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: bruguera@clinic.ub.es.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruguera
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000254:growth & development; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016031:Liver Transplantation
keywords: Alcoholic liver disease; Autoimmune hepatitis; Carcinoma hepatocelular; Cirrhosis; Cirrosis; Drug-induced liver disease; Enfermedad del hígado graso no alcohólico; Hepatitis; Hepatitis autoinmune; Hepatitis tóxica; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatopatía alcohólica; Hipertransaminasemia; Hypertransaminasemia; Ictericia; Jaundice; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease