Gastroenterology Flashcards
Describe the CAGE questionnaire
Do you think you should cut down your drinking?
Do you get annoyed at others commenting on your drinking?
Do you ever feel guilty about drinking?
Do you need a drink in the morning to help your hangover
List the complications of alcohol
Alcoholic liver disease Cirrhosis and complications including HCC Alcohol dependence and withdrawal Wernicke - Korsakoff syndrome Pancreatitis Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
What is the weekly recommended limit of alcohol
14 units a week, no more than 5U a day, spread evenly over 3 or more days
Describe the AUDIT score
10 questions, score >8 indicates harmful drinking
List some signs of liver disease
Jaundice Hepatomegaly Spider naevi Palmar erythema Gynaecomastia Bruising Ascites Caput medusae Asterixis - flapping tremor
What investigations would you do for alcoholic liver disease
FBC - raised MCV
LFTs - elevated ALT and AST, low albumin due to reduced synthetic function of the liver, elevated bilirubin in cirrhosis
Clotting - elevated prothrombin time due to reduced synthetic function
U&Es - may be deranged in hepatorenal syndrome
USS - fatty change early on (increased echogenicity)
Fibro scan - used to check the elasticity of the liver by sending high frequency sound waves into the liver - helps to assess the degree of cirrhosis
Endoscopy - to assess and treat varices when portal hypertension is suspected
CT and MRI - look for fatty infiltration of the liver, hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatosplenomegaly, abnormal blood vessel changes and ascites
Liver biopsy - used to confirm the diagnosis of alcohol related hepatitis or cirrhosis where steroid treatment is being considered
Who can be referred for liver transplant in alcoholic liver disease
Severe disease if abstained from alcohol for 3 months prior to referral
Describe the nutritional support for alcoholic patients
High protein diet and B vitamins
Describe alcohol withdrawal symptoms
6-12hrs - tremor, sweating, headache, craving, anxiety
12-24hrs - hallucinations
24-48hrs - seizures
24-72hrs - delirium tremens
Describe the pathophysiology of delirium tremens
Medical emergency associated with alcohol withdrawal (35% mortality)
Alcohol stimulates GABA receptors in the brain causing a relaxing effect on the rest of the brain,
Alcohol inhibits glutamate receptors having further inhibitory effect on electrical activity
Chronic alcohol leads to GABA system becoming down regulated and glutamate system being upregulated. When alcohol is removed, GABA under functions and glutamate over functions causing extreme excitability of the brain with excess adrenergic activity
List the symptoms of delirium tremens
Acute confusion Severe agitation Delusions and hallucinations Tremor Tachycardia Hypertension hyperthermia Ataxia Arrhythmia
How is alcohol withdrawal treated?
Chlordiazepoxide - benzodiazepine reducing regime titrated to the required dose based on local protocol and continued for up to a week
IV high dose B vitamins - pabrinex
What causes Wernicke’s - Korsakoff’s syndrome?
Thiamine (B1) deficiency
List the features of Wernicke’s encephalopathy
Confusion
Oculomotor disturbances
Ataxia
List the features of Korsakoff’s syndrome
Memory impairment
Behavioural changes
How does liver cirrhosis cause portal hypertension
Increased resistance in the vessels leading into the liver as a result of fibrosis and scar tissue
List some causes of liver cirrhosis
Alcoholic liver disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
List some signs of liver cirrhosis
Jaundice Asterixis Caput medusae Spider naevi Hepatomegaly Splenomegaly Gynaecamastia and testicular atrophy Palmar erythema Bruising Ascites
List the investigations for cirrhosis
LFTs - decreased albumin
Prothrombin time - increased
U&Es - hyponatraemia (fluid retention), Ur and Cr deranged in hepatorenal syndrome
Viral markers and antibodies - see cause
Alpha fetoprotein - hepatocellular carcinoma
Ultrasound
Enhanced lifer fibrosis blood test - 1st line for testing for fibrosis in non-alcohlic fatty liver disease
Liver biopsy - cirrhosis
CT/MRI - vessel and organ changes
Endoscopy - oesophageal varices
How often is AFP checked?
Every 6 months along with USS
Describe the changes which may be seen on USS in people with cirrhosis
Nodularity of surface of the liver
Corkscrew appearance to arteries with increased flow as they compensate for reduced portal flow
Enlarged portal vein with reduced blood flow
Ascites
Splenomegaly
Who should fibroscans be done 2 yearly for?
Hep C
Heavy alcohol drinkers (>50U men, >35 U women)
Diagnosed alcoholic liver disease
Non alcoholic fatty liver and evidence of fibrosis on ELF blood test
Chronic hep B (yearly)
Describe the child-pugh score for liver disease
Estimates the severity and prognosis of liver cirrhosis
Min score - 5
Max score - 15
- bilirubin
- Albumin
- INR
- Ascites
- Encephalopathy
Describe the MELD score
Guides transplant management - estimates the 3 month mortality for compensated cirrhosis
- Bilirubin
- Cr
- INR
- Na
- Dialysis
Describe the management of liver cirrhosis
USS and AFP every 6 months Endoscopy ever 3 years High protein, low Na diet MELD score every 6 months - see if need referral for transplant Treat complications Liver transplant
List some complications of liver cirrhosis
Malnutrition Portal hypertension Varices and variceal bleeding Hepatorenal syndrome Hepatic encephalopathy Hepatocellular carcinoma
How does cirrhosis cause malnutrition and muscle wasting
Increased use of muscle tissue as fuel
Disrupts metabolism of protein in liver
Reduces ability to store glucose as glycogen
How do you manage malnutrition in cirrhosis
Regular meals (every 2-3hrs) Low sodium (minimise fluid retention High protein diet and high calorie
Describe portal hypertension
Portal vein comes from the superior mesenteric and splenic vein and delivers blood to the liver.
Liver cirrhosis increases the resistance of blood flow in the liver and as a reuslt there is increased back pressure into the portal system
Describe the development of varices
Portal hypertension and back pressure causes vessels where portal system anastomoses with systemic venous system to become swollen and tortous
Where do varices occur?
Gastro-oesophageal junction
Ileocaecal junction
Rectum
Anterior abdominal wall via umbilical vein - caput medusae
Describe the treatment of stable varices
Propranolol - reduce pressure
Elastic band ligation of varices
Injection of sclerosant
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)
Describe TIPS procedure
IR inserts wire under Xray guidance into jugular, down vena cava and into the liver via the hepatic vein. They make a connection through the liver tissue between the portal and hepatic vein and puts a stent in place to allow blood to flow directly from portal to hepatic vein and relieves pressure on the portal system
Describe the management of bleeding oesophageal varices
Vasopressin analogues - terlipressin (cause vasoconstriction and slow bleeding)
Correct coagulopathy - Vit K and FFP
Prophylactic broad spectrum antibiotics
Consider intubation and ICU
Endoscopy - injecting sclerosant to cause inflammatory obliteration of vessel or elastic band ligation.
Sengstaken-blakemore tube - inflatable tube inserted into oesophagus to tamponade the bleeding varices - used when endoscopy fails
Describe ascites in cirrhosis
Increased portal system pressure causes fluid to leak out of the capillaries in the bowel and liver into the peritoneal space. The drop of fluid causes a reduced flood flow entering the kidneys. The kidneys sense the lower pressure and release renin which leads to increased aldosterone secretion and reabsorption of fluid and sodium in the kidneys. Cirrhosis causes a transudative ascites (low protein|)
Describe the management of ascites
Low sodium diet
Anti-aldosterone diuretics - spironolactone
Paracentesis - ascitic drain/tap
Prophylactic antibiotics - ciprofloxacin for prevention of SBP in patients with <15g/L protein in fluid
TIPS procedure or transplantation
How do patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis present?
Asymptomatic - low threshold for ascitic fluid culture
Fever
Abdominal pain
Deranged bloods - raised WCC, CRP, Cr, Metabolic acidosis
Ileus
Hypotension
Name the common organisms which cause spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
E.coli
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Gram positive cocci - staphylococcus and enterococcus
What is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Infection develops ion the peritoneal fluid
How do you manage spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Ascitic culture taken prior to Abx
Give IV cephalosporin - cefotaxime
Describe hepatorenal syndrome
Pooling of blood in portal system causes reduction in blood supply to kidneys, vasoconstriction activates RAAS causing renal vasoconstriction and rapidly deterioating kidney function
Describe the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome
Liver transplant otherwise fatal within a week
Describe the pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy
Build up of ammonia which is produced by intestinal bacteria when they break down proteins and is absorbed in the gut
- liver cells prevent the metabolism of ammonia
- collateral vessels mean ammonia bypasses the liver
Describe the management of hepatic encephalopathy
Laxatives - lactulose
Antibiotics - rifaximin - reduce bacteria producing ammonia Nutritional support - NG feed
List the precipitating factors for hepatic encephalopathy
Constipation# Electrolyte disturbance Infection GI bleed High protein diet Medications - sedatives
What can non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progress to
Hepatitis
Fibrosis
Cirrhosis
List the stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
1 - NAFLD
2 - Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
3 - Fibrosis
4 - cirrhosis
List the risk factors for NAFLD
Obestity Poor diet and low activity levels T2DM High cholesterol Middle aged Smoking High BP
List the components of a non-invasive liver screen
LFTs
USS liver
Hepatitis B and C serology
Autoantibodies - ANA, SMA, AMA, LKM-1
List the investigations in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Liver ultrasound
Enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) blood test - 1st line for fibrosis in NAFLD but not available everywhere, Indicates the severity of fibrosis
NAFLD fibrosis score - 2nd line based on age, BMI< liver enzymes, platelets, albumin and diabetes
Fibroscan - 3rd line, ultrasound that assess the stiffness of liver and gives indication of fibrosis
Describe the management of NAFLD
Diet Exercise Weight loss Stop smoking Control DM, HTN, hypercholesterolaemia Avoid alcohol Refer to liver specialist if needing Vit E and pioglitazone
What is the triad in Budd-Chiari syndrome
Sudden onset abdominal pain
Ascites and tender hepatomegaly
What is Budd-Chiari syndrome
Obstruction to hepatic venous outflow
Occurs in patients in hypercoagulable state but can occur from physical obstruction
List the causes of hepatitis
Alcoholic Viral Autoimmune NAFLD Drug induced
How does hepatitis present
Abdo pain Jaundice Nausea and vomiting Pruitis Muscle aches Fever
Describe the LFT picture in hepatitis
High AST and ALT with proportionally high ALP
High bilirubin
Describe Hepatitis A
RNA virus
Faecal oral route
Presents with nausea, vomiting, anorexia and jaundice. May cause cholestasis - pale stools and dark urine
Resolves without treatment in 1-3 months
Manage with basic analgesia
Vaccination before travel
Notifiable disease
Describe hepatitis B
DNA virus
Blood borne disease and vertical transmission
Most people recover in 2 months but some become carriers - continue to produce viral proteins as viral DNA integrated into persons DNA
What is HBsAg
Hep B surface antigen
Demonstrates active infection
What is HBeAg
E antigen - marker of viral replication and implies high infectivity
What is HBcAb
Core antibodies
Implies past or current infection