Cirrhosis is characterized by fibrosis and nodule formation of the liver, secondary to a chronic injury, which leads to alteration of the normal lobular organization of the liver. Various insults can injure the liver, including viral infections, toxins, hereditary conditions, or autoimmune processes. With each injury, the liver forms scar tissue (fibrosis), initially without losing its function. After a long-standing injury, most of the liver tissue gets fibrosed, leading to loss of function and the development of cirrhosis.
According to an interesting study published in the current issue of the Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases; “Cardiac Changes in Cirrhotic Patients", 70% of the studied patients with liver cirrhosis have cardiac dysfunction in the absence of other risk factors for cardiac diseases. In addition, the degree of cardiac dysfunction is correlated with the severity of liver disease of cirrhotic patients.
According to the study of ‘Assessment of Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Related Liver Diseases';  published in the current issue of the Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases; cirrhotic hepatitis C patients have thyroid abnormalities higher than non-cirrhotic patients do. It is intensely related to the severity of liver affection and the advancing of Child score. Serum bilirubin, prothrombin time, duration of disease and degree of liver cirrhosis are dependent risk factor for TSH abnormalities. TSH, FreeT4 and Free T3 can be considered to be useful prognostic indices.