Asterixis

Asterixis (also called the flapping tremor, or liver flap) is a tremor of the wrist when the wrist is extended (dorsiflexion), sometimes said to resemble a bird flapping its wings.

The term derives from the Greek a, "not" and stērixis, "fixed position".

Associated conditions and presentation

Usually there are brief, arrhythmic interruptions of sustained voluntary muscle contraction causing brief lapses of posture, with a frequency of 3-5 Hz. It is bilateral, but may be asymmetric.

• It can be a sign of hepatic encephalopathy, damage to brain cells due to the inability of the liver to metabolize ammonia to urea. The cause is thought to be related to abnormal ammonia metabolism.
• Asterixis is seen most often in drowsy or stuporous patients with metabolic encephalopathies, especially in decompensated cirrhosis or acute hepatic failure.
• It is also seen in some patients with renal failure and azotemia, and in carbon dioxide toxicity.
• It can also be a feature of Wilson's disease.

History

R.D. Adams and J.M. Foley first described asterixis in 1949 in patients with severe liver failure and encephalopathy.^[1]

References

External links

• -932511743 at GPnotebook
• Diagram

This medical sign article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e