Gastro Flashcards
What is autoimmune hepatitis?
A chronic liver disease with autoantibodies and raised IgG
Who is mostly affected by autoimmune hepatitis
Young women
Features of autoimmune hepatitis
Signs of chronic liver disease Acute hepatitis Jaundice Hepatomegaly Amenorrhoea Nausea Fatigue, pruritis
Which immunoglobulin is involved in autoimmune hepatitis?
IgG
Management of autoimmune hepatitis
Steroids
Immunosuppression with azathioprine
Liver transplant
How to calculate number of units of alcohol
number of ml x ABV and divide by 1000
Recommended number of alcoholic units per week
14
How many units in 25ml of pure spirit?
1
How many units in a pint of beer?
3
How many units in half a 175ml standard glass of wine?
1
What type of drug is sulphasalazine?
5-aminosalicyclic acid
Combined with a sulphonamide called sulphapyridine
Side effects of sulphasalazine
Rashes Oligospermia Headache Heinz body anaemia Megaloblastic anaemia Lung fibrosis
What type of drug is mesalazine?
delayed release 5-aminosalicyclic acid
Side effects of 5-aminosalicyclic acid medications
GI upset Headache Agranulocytosis Pancreatitis Interstitial nephritis
Which 5-aminosalicyclic acid is typically associated with pancreatitis?
Mesalazine
Examples of 5-aminosalicyclic acid drugs
Sulphasalazine
Mesalazine
Olsalazine
Which medical condition is associated with cyclical vomiting syndrome?
Migraine
Cyclical vomiting syndrome - acute management
Ondansetron
Prochlorperazine
Triptans
Cyclical vomiting syndrome - prophylaxis
Amitryptilline
Propranolol
Topiramate
Inheritance of Gilbert’s syndrome
Autosomal recessive
What is Gilbert’s syndrome?
Defective conjugation of bilirubin
Features of Gilbert’s syndrome
Unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia
Jaundice during illness, fasting, exercise
Investigations for Gilbert’s syndrome
Rise in bilirubin after fasting or IV nicotinic acid
Mechanism of action of metoclopramide
D2 receptor antagonist
Side effects of metoclopramide
Extrapyramidal effects - oculogyric crisis
Hyperprolactinaemia
Tardive dyskinesia
Parkinsonism
Referral method for a patient with dysphagia
Urgent
Referral method for a patient with upper abdominal mass consistent with gastric cancer
Urgent
Referral method for patients 55 years+ who have weight loss AND upper abdo pain
Urgent
Referral method for patient over 55 with treatment resistant dyspepsia
Routine
Referral method for patient with haematemesis
Routine
Referral method for patient over 55 with weight loss and reflux
Urgent
Referral method for patient over 55 with weight loss and dyspepsia
Urgent
Referral for patients over 55 with upper abdo pain and low haemoglobin
Routine
Referral for patients over 55 with raised PLT count plus: nausea, vomiting, reflux, dyspepsia, upper abdo pain
Routine
Testing for H pylori
Carbon-13 urea breath test
Stool antigen test
“Test and treat”
Inherited causes of unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia
Gilbert’s syndrome
Crigler-Najjar syndrome
Crigler-Najjar syndrome basic facts
Autosomal recessive
Type 1 will not survive to adulthood
Type 2 may improve with phenobarbital
Inherited causes of conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia
Dubin-Johnson syndrome
Rotor syndrome
Dubin-Johnson syndrome
Autosomal recessive Common in Iranian Jews Defective hepatic excretion of bilirubin Grossly black liver Benign
Rotor syndrome
Autosomal recessive
Defect in the hepatic uptake and storage of bilirubin
Benign
Drug causes of liver cirrhosis
Methotrexate
Methyldopa
Amiodarone
Drug causes of cholestasis
Combined oral contraception
Flucloxacillin, co-amoxiclav, erythromycin
Anabolic steroids
What is the MELD scoring system for?
Liver cirrhosis
PPI mechanism of action
Irreversible blockade of H+/K+ ATPase of gastric parietal cell
Side effects of PPIs
Hyponatraemia Hypomagnesaemia Osteoporosis Microscopic colitis Increased risk of c. diff
Plummer-Vision syndrome
Dysphagia
Glossitis
Iron deficiency anaemia
Treatment of Plummer-Vision syndrome
Dilation of webs
Iron supplements
Booerhaave syndrome
Oesophageal rupture due to severe vomiting
Melanosis coli
Pigmentation of the bowel wall
Pigment laded macrophages
Cause of melanosis coli
Laxative abuse
particularly senna
What is ferritin?
Intracellular protein that binds to iron and stores it to be released in a controlled fashion at sites where iron is required
Causes of raised ferritin without iron overload
Inflammation Alcohol excess Liver disease CKD Malignancy
Causes of raised ferritin with iron overload
Hereditary haemochromatosis
Following repeated transfusions
How do you assess whether there is iron overload?
Transferrin saturation
What is a normal transferrin saturation?
<45% in women
<50% in men
Causes of reduced ferritin
Iron deficiency anaemia
What is cholestyramine?
Bile acid sequestrant
How does cholestyramine work?
Reduces bile acid reabsorption in the small intestine
Who is cholestyramine used for?
Hyperlipidaemia
Increases amount of cholesterol coverted to bile acids
Reduces LDL
Side effects of cholestyramine
Abdominal pain Constipation Cholesterol gallstones May raise Triglyceride levels Decreased absorption of fat soluble vitamins
What is pellegra?
Disease due to lack of vitamin B3, niacin
What is niacin
Vitamin B3
Features of pellegra
Inflamed skin Diarrhoea Dementia Sores in the mouth Skin becomes darker
Management of alcoholic hepatitis
Prednisolone
Pentoxyphylline
Crohn’s disease - pathology
Mouth to anus Inflammation of all layers down to serosa Skip lesions Goblet cells, granulomas Strictures, fissures, adhesions
Crohn’s disease - features
Weight loss, lethargy Diarrhoea which may be bloody Abdominal pain Anal skin tags Anal ulcers
Crohn’s disease and UC - extra intestinal disease which is related to disease activity
Arthritis (asymmetrical)
Erythema nodosum
Episcleritis
Osteoporosis
Crohn’s disease and UC - extra intestinal disease which is not related to disease activity
Arthritis (symmetrical)
Uveitis
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Clubbing
Crohn’s disease - investigations
Raised ESR and CRP
Raised faecal calprotectin
Low B12, low Vit D
Anaemia
Crohn’s disease - inducing remission
Steroids 5-aminosalicylate drugs Elemental diet Azathioprine or mecaptopurine Methotrexate Infliximab in refractory cases
Crohn’s disease - maintaining remission
Azathioprine or mercaptopurine
Bile acid malabsorption - primary causes
Excessive production of bile acid
Bile acid malabsorption - secondary causes
GI disorder preventing bile acid absorption, e.g.
Crohn’s
Cholecystectomy
Coeliac disease
Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth
Bile acid malabsorption - investigations
Nuclear medicine SeHCAT
Bile acid malabsorption - management
Bile acid sequestrants - cholestyramine
Bile acid malabsorption - features
Chronic diarrhoea
Steatorrhoea
Vitamin A, D, E, K malabsorption
What is angiodysplasia?
Vascular deformity in the GI tract which predisposes to bleeding and IDA
Who is affected by angiodysplasia?
Elderly
Possible link to aortic stenosis
Angiodysplasia - diagnosis
Colonoscopy
Mesenteric angiography if acutely bleeding
Angiodysplasia - management
Endoscopic cautery or coagulation
Antifibrinolytics - tranexamic acid
Oestrogens
What is achalasia?
Failure of oesphageal peristalsis
Failure of relaxation of LOS
Achalasia - who is affected?
Middle age
Men and women
Achalasia - presentation
Dysphagia to liquids AND solids
Variation in symptom severity
Heartburn
Regurgitation of food (may cause cough, pneumonia)
Malignant change in small number of patients
Achalasia - investigations
Oesophageal manometry
Barium swallow
CXR
Achalasia - what does oesophageal manometry show?
Excessive LOS which doesn’t relax on swallowing
Achalasia - what does barium swallow show?
Grossly expanded oesophagus with fluid level
‘birds beak’ appearance
Achalasia - what does chest xray show?
Wide mediastinum
Fluid level
Achalasia - management
Pneumatic balloon dilation
Surgery if persistent symptoms
Botox if unfit for surgery
What is Budd chiari syndrome?
Hepatic vein thrombosis