My dad has blood in urine, and he is becoming weak. Is it due to liver failure?

Question

Hi doctor,

My 73 years old dad is becoming weak day by day, and he is 152 lbs by weight and 5 foot 2 inches by height. We consulted the doctor, who told us the urine contains blood, although it is not visible looking at urine. His leg was also swelling, and on medication, it became fine. He also added, it may be liver failure, but he did not confirm. How is he becoming weak?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand you must be very upset about your father. The history you provided provides a little clue of what exactly he is suffering with. Non-visible blood in urine is called microscopic hematuria. Some liver conditions can cause this problem, such as hepatitis C viral infection, hepatitis B viral infection, recent drug use, or advanced liver disease secondary to any cause. With advanced liver disease, platelets (white cells in the blood which control bleeding) are decreased, and thats why the patient is prone to develop bleeding from any site, maybe in urine, skin, or sometimes internally within the abdomen. The swelling you mentioned possibly be secondary to the fluid collection over the legs and resolves with diuretics, which increase urine formation. If these all findings combined, It is possible that your father is suffering from liver cirrhosis, also called scarring of the liver. Liver cirrhosis requires long-term management with initial medical and supportive treatment followed by a liver transplant, which is the definitive therapy.