CP11-3 Lower GI Pathology Flashcards
What are the two subtypes of IBD?
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
What is the epidemiology of IBD?
Ulcerative colitis = 5-15 cases per 100,000 - increased in urban areas
Crohn’s disease = 5-10 cases per 100,000
Peak age incidence = 20-40 year olds
More common in western countries like UK, Scandinavia, Northern Europe and USA
who is more likely to have chronic disease? Men or women?
Women
what are risk factors for IBD?
Smoking for Crohn’s (not UC)
Oral contraceptive pill
Childhood infections
Domestic hygiene
What are two protective factors for UC?
Smoking
Appendectomy in childhood
How do patients present with UC?
Diarrhoea with urgency and increased frequency - sometimes constipation but less common
Rectal bleeding
Abdominal pain
Associated weight loss - potentially anorexia
Anaemia
What are complications of UC?
Toxic megacolon and perforation
Haemorrhage
Stricture (rare)
Carcinoma in chronic uncontrolled disease
What is the pathology of UC?
Continuous superficial inflammation, mainly of the mucosa, which usually starts distally in the rectum and extends proximally. Can show confluence ulceration. Never transmembrane inflammation and granulomas uncommon.
What are symptoms of Crohn’s disease?
Chronic relapsing disease
Diarrhoea (can contain blood)
Colicky abdominal pain
Palpable abdominal mass
Weight loss
Fever
Oral ulcers
Anaemia
What is the pathology of Crohn’s disease?
Affects GI tract from mouth to anus with majority patients affected in the ileocolic area. It has skin lesions of deep, transmural inflammation and fistulation. Granulomas are common.
What are some complications of Crohn’s disease?
Toxic megacolon
Perforation
Fistulation
Strictures (common)
Haemorrhage
Carcinoma
Short bowel syndrome due to repeated resections
What are some extra-intestinal manifestations of IBD?
Fatty change and granuloma formation in the liver
Polyarthitis
Oral ulcers
Uveitis and retinitis
Amyloidosis
Thrombosis-embolic disease
What is ischaemic bowel disease?
Acute, intermittent or chronic reduction of blood flow in the colon due to occlusion or non-occlusive causes, majority due to an arterial embolism (40-50%). It is usually multifactorial and associated with other vascular diseases.
What are the main types of ischaemic colitis?
Transient (>80%)
Chronic segmental ulcerating with ischaemic stricture
Acute fulminant and gangrenous
How do patients with ischaemic colitis present?
Acute onset cramping abdominal pains
Urgent need to poo
Blood diarrhoea
Rectal bleeding
Symotom improvement within 48 hours and recovery takes 1-2 weeks
What percentage of patients with ischaemic colitis require surgery for colonic infarction?
20%
where is ischaemic colitis most common?
Left colon especially round the splenic flecture