Gastro Flashcards
A 10 month old child was born on the 50th centile for weight and height and is now on the 9th centile. Parents report she has poor feeding and cries easily. She has also recently developed a rash across her abdomen. They also report some episodes of vomiting and diarrhoea. Give 3 differentials you would like to consider. (3)
Gastroenteritis
Cows milk intolerance/allergy
GORD?
Coeliac disease
What is the commonest cause of an acute abdomen in children? (1)
What radiological investigations could you perform and what would you be looking for? (4)
Appendicitis
Abdo xray - dilated loops of bowel and fluid level in RIF
Abdo uss - appendix mass/abscess
How is cows milk intolerance diagnosed? (1)
What alternative formulas are available? (2)
When should cows milk be reintroduce? (1)
Remove cows milk from diet and look for symptom resolution.
Soya milk- bad choice as up to 50% will also have same symptoms with soya milk.
Partially hydrolysed formula - whey based
Extensively hydrolysed formulas - caesin based
Amino acid based formula - used if symptoms not improved after use of hydrolysed formula.
Reintroduce after 1 year.
What is coeliac disease? (2)
What changes might be seen on biopsy? (2)
Enteropathy in which gliaden portion of gluten provokes a damaging immunological response in the proximal small intestine mucosa.
Mucosal changes - increased epithelial lymphocytes and variable degree of villious atrophy and crypt hypertrophy.
What symptoms may be seen in coeliac disease? (4)
Malabsorption syndrome Failure to thrive after weaning Abdominal distension Buttock wasting Abnormal stools General irritability Anaemia
What other diseases may be associated with coeliac disease? (2)
Type 1 DM
Autoimmune thyroid disease
Down syndrome
How is coeliac disease confirmed? (3)
Serology - anti tissue transglutaminases (anti-TTG) or endomysial antibodies (both IgA)
Biopsy - jejunal biopsy for changes before diet changes
Diet change - remove gluten from diet
Symptom resolution and rebiopsy should show regrowth.
What nutritional advice should you give for Coeliac disease? (3)
Remove all wheat, barley and rye from diet.
Oats are ok.
What skin condition can be associated with coeliac disease? (1)
Dermatitis herpetiformis
Define failure to thrive. (2)
Demonstration of inadequate weight gain
Mild - fall across two centile lines
Severe - fall across three centile lines
Name 4 causes of failure to thrive. (4)
Functional. ** most common Nutritional neglect Emotional neglect Abuse Psychiatric Organic Feeding difficulties Poor retention of food Poor absorption of food Poor metabolism of food Increased metabolism Chronic disease Chromosomal disorders
What is Hirschsprung disease? (3)
What are the 2 types? (1)
Congenital condition where ganglionic cells do not complete their normal migration from proximal to distal bowel. Resulting in part of the large bowel without parasympathetic innervation. Having only sympathetic innervation leads to hypertonicity and failure to relax when faced with proximal dilation. This causes narrow and contracted region of bowel with proximal stasis of stool.
Short segment disease ** affects only rectum and sigmoid
Long segment disease affects entire colon
When does Hirschsprungs tend to present? (1)
How does it present? (2)
Neonatal- failure to pass meconium within 24 hours
Acute intestinal obstruction - distension, poor feeding, bilious vomiting
Severe life threatening enterocolitis secondary to c diff infection
Infant-
Chronic constipation- distention without soiling
Intermittent abdo pain and fever during episodes of retained faeces
Failure to thrive
What is treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease? (2)
Surgery
1- colostomy to decompress dilated colon
2- rectosigmoidectomy and anastomosis of normal bowel to anus and closure of colostomy. (At 3-6 months)
What investigations would help diagnosed Hirschsprung’s disease? (3)
AXR: dilated bowel loops and fluid levels
Anorectal manometry: measure of pressure at internal and external anal sphincters in response to rectal distension.
Rectal biopsy: rectal mucosa and submucosa demonstrate absence of ganglion cells with increased amount of Ach stained nerve endings.
Barium study: to estimate length of aganglionic segment.
What is the most common cause of jaundice in a neonate? (1)
What is the most common cause of jaundice in an older child? (1)
Physiological jaundice
Infective hepatitis
What causes physiological jaundice in a neonate? (2)
Combination of increased red cell breakdown (high levels of Hb in foetus) and immaturity of the hepatic enzymes causes unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia.
This can also be exaggerated by dehydration if feeding is delayed.
Onset of jaundice in first 24 hours is always pathological. Give 2 examples of differentials you may want to consider. (2)
Excess haemolysis
1- immune mediated: rhesus or ABO incompatibility
2- intrinsic red blood cell defects: G6PD or hereditary spherocytosis
Congenital infections
In haemolytic disease of the newborn, which antibodies cross the placenta to cause haemolysis? (1)
IgG. Mother always O or rhesus - and creates antibodies against AB or rhesus +
How is rhesus haemolytic disease prevented? (1)
Administration of Anti-D immunoglobulin immediately after delivery or after any potentially sensitising events.
What is Coombs test? (1)
Blood test used to identify immune mediated haemolysis.
What is the main cause of jaundice between 2 days and 2 weeks of life? (1)
Physiological jaundice - peaks of day 3 of life.
What is the definition of prolonged jaundice? (2)
Persistent jaundice lasting more than 2 weeks old in a term infant or more than 3 weeks old in a preterm infant.
Name 2 causes of prolonged jaundice? (2)
Unconjugated ** - breastfeeding, infection (uti), congenital hypothyroidism, haemolytic anaemia eg SCD
Conjugated (dark urine and pale stools) - biliary atresia, neonatal hepatitis syndrome
Name 3 investigations you would like to perform to determine cause in an infant with prolonged jaundice. (3)
FBC, Blood group (mother and child), fraction of conjugated bilirubin, urine culture, Coombs test, TFTs
What is the risk of untreated unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia? (1)
Kernicterus - deposits of bilirubin the basal ganglia and cerebellum.