Gastroenterology Flashcards
what are the 3 stages of alcohol-related liver disease?
- alcoholic fatty liver
- alcoholic hepatitis
- cirrhosis
is alcoholic hepatitis reversible?
if mild, it can be reversed with permanent abstinence
what is the recommended alcohol consumption?
- 14 units / week for both men and women
- spread over 3 or more days
what are the CAGE questions?
- Cut down - ever thought you should?
- Annoyed - when people comment on your drinking?
- Guilty - ever felt like this over your drinking?
- Eye-opener - ever drink first thing in the morn?
what are the 2 screening tools for alcohol misuse?
- CAGE
- AUDIT
complications of alcohol misuse?
- alcoholic liver disease (ALD)
- cirrhosis
- HCC
- wernicke-korsakoff syndrome
- pancreatitis
- alcoholic myopathy
signs of ALD? hint: there’s a LOT
- jaundice
- hepatomegaly
- spider naevi
- palmar erythema
- gynaecomastia
- bruising (abnormal clotting)
- ascites
- caput medusae
- asterixis (flapping tremor)
what are caput medusae?
superficial epigastric veins that are engorged
investigations and findings in ALD?
- bloods (lots of things)
- USS (increased echogenecity)
- fibroscan (shows degree of cirrhosis)
- endoscopy (to find and treat oesophageal varices)
- CT / MRI (fatty changes, HCC, HSM, ascites)
- liver biopsy (to confirm diagnosis)
findings of blood tests in ALD?
- FBC (raised MCV, macrocytic anaemia)
- LFT (raised ALT, AST and gamma-GT, low albumin)
- clotting (raised PTT)
- UEs (deranged)
management of ALD?
- stop drinking permanently
- start detox regime
- thiamine supplements and high protein diet
- treat complications of cirrhosis
- liver transplant if severe enough
complications of cirrhosis?
- portal HTN
- varices
- ascites
- hepatic encephalopathy
key criterion to be eligible for liver transplant?
they must have abstained from alcohol for 3 months prior to referral
alcohol withdrawal symptoms at 6-12 hours?
- tremor
- sweating
- headache
- craving
- anxiety
alcohol withdrawal symptoms at 12-24 hours?
hallucinations
alcohol withdrawal symptoms at 24-48 hours?
seizures
what presents 24-72 hours after start of alcohol withdrawal?
delirium tremens
mortality rate of untreated delirium tremens?
35%
presentation of delirium tremens?
- acutely confused
- delusions, hallucinations
- severe agitation
- tremor
- tachycardia
- HTN
- hyperthermia
- ataxia
- arrhythmias
management of alcohol withdrawal?
- chlordiazepoxide for 7 days
- disulfiram (unpleasant reaction to alcohol)
- IV pabrinex (B vitamins), then PO thiamine (B1)
what drug class is chlordiazepoxide?
benzodiazepine
how does alcohol excess cause Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?
- alcohol stops thiamine (B1) absorption
- thiamine deficiency causes WKS
features of Wernicke’s encephalopathy? is it reversible?
- confusion
- oculomotor disturbances
- ataxia
- yes
features of Korsakoff’s syndrome? is it reversible?
- anterograde and retrograde amnesia
- behavioural changes
- no
4 most common causes of cirrhosis?
- ALD
- NAFLD
- hepatitis B
- hepatitis C
less common causes of cirrhosis?
- autoimmune hep
- PBC
- haemochromatosis and Wilsons disease
- alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
- cystic fibrosis
- drugs
drug causes of cirrhosis?
- amiodarone
- methotrexate
- sodium valproate
signs O/E in cirrhosis?
- jaundice
- hepatosplenomegaly (HSM)
- spider naevi
- palmar erythema
- gynaecomastia and testicular atrophy
- bruising
- ascites
- caput medusae
- asterixis
what is the tumour marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)?
alpha-fetoprotein
how is HCC screened for in cirrhosis patients?
6-monthly AFP levels and liver USS
first line investigation to assess fibrosis in NAFLD?
enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) blood test
USS changes seen in cirrhosis?
- nodular liver surface
- “corkscrew” appearance of hepatic arteries (compensating for portal HTN)
- enlarged portal vein with reduced flow
- fluid
- splenomegaly
what does fibroscan measure? how often should it be done in patients at high risk of cirrhosis?
- elasticity of the liver
- every 2 years
risk factors for cirrhosis?
- hep C
- hep B
- heavy alcohol consumption
- existing ALD
- existing NAFLD with fibrosis on ELF test
what is the Child-Pugh score?
scoring system used to determine the severity and prognosis of cirrhosis
which 5 things are assessed in the Child-Pugh score?
- bilirubin
- albumin
- INR
- ascites
- encephalopathy
what is the MELD score? who is it used on? how often is it done?
- to check if pt with compensated cirrhosis needs dialysis
- 6 monthly
how often does a patient with cirrhosis but no known varices need to be endoscopied?
every 3 years
complications of cirrhosis?
- malnutrition
- portal HTN
- varices, bleeding
- ascites, SPB
- hepatorenal syndrome
- encephalopathy
- HCC
management / prevention of malnutrition secondary to cirrhosis?
- regular meals every 2-3 hours
- low Na diet (stops fluid retention)
- high protein, high kcal diet
- avoid alcohol
what causes varices?
- portal venous system has increased pressure (HTN)
- blood gets backlogged
- results in swollen, tortuous vessels
common sites for variceal veins?
- gastro-oesophageal junction
- ileocaecal junction
- rectum
- anterior abdominal wall via umbilical vein (caput medusae)
management of stable varices?
- BB (propanolol)
- elastic band ligation
- sclerosant injection
management of portal HTN?
transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS)
management of bleeding oesophageal varices?
- vasopressin analogue (terlipressin)
- vit K and FFP to correct any coagulopathy
- prophylactic broad spectrum ABx
- endoscopy to inject sclerosant and elastic band ligation
- Sengstaken-Blakemore tube insertion
what is ascites? how does it develop?
- free fluid in the peritoneal cavity
- increased pressure in portal system forces fluid to leak out
what type of ascites does cirrhosis cause?
transudative (low protein)
management of ascites?
- low Na diet
- aldosterone antagonist diuretic (spironolactone)
- paracentesis (ascitic tap or drain)
- prophylactic ABx against SBP (ciprofloxacin) in pts with low protein
- TIPS or liver transplant if severe
how might SBP present?
- asymptomatic
- fever
- abdo pain
- deranged bloods
- ileus
- hypotension
what might blood tests show in SBP?
- raised WBC
- raised CRP
- raised creatinine
- metabolic acidosis
which 4 organisms most commonly cause SBP?
- E. coli
- klebsiella pneumoniae
- staphylococcus
- enterococcus
management of SBP?
- take ascitic culture
- then IV cephalosporin (cefotaxime)
how does hepatorenal syndrome develop?
- hypertension in portal system causes vessels to dilate
- dilatation activates renin-angiotensin system
- leads to renal vasoconstriction
- reduced circulation in kidneys
prognosis of hepatorenal syndrome?
fatal within a week if no liver transplant
management of hepatorenal syndrome?
liver transplant
what is the primary toxin responsible for hepatic encephalopathy? where does it come from? why do cirrhosis patients get a build up of this toxin?
- ammonia
- breakdown product from gut bacteria
- normally the liver can break down ammonia into harmless waste products but cirrhosis impairs this
presentation of hepatic encephalopathy?
- reduced consciousness
- confusion
precipitating factors for hepatic encephalopathy?
- constipation
- electrolyte disturbance
- infection
- GI bleed
- high protein diet
- sedating drugs
management of hepatic encephalopathy?
- laxative (lactulose) to stop ammonia being absorbed
- ABx (rifaximin) to kill off some gut bacteria
- nutritional support
- nasogastric feeding
what are the stages of progression from NAFLD to cirrhosis?
- NAFLD
- NASH
- fibrosis
- cirrhosis
risk factors for NAFLD? (hint: think CVD risk factors)
- obesity
- poor diet
- T2DM
- high cholesterol
- ageing
- smoking
- HTN
what is included in a non-invasive liver screen?
- USS liver
- hep B and C serology
- autoantibodies
- immunoglobulins
- caeruloplasmin
- alpha-1 antitrypsin
- ferritin and transferrin saturation
which conditions might be shown by autoantibodies on a non-invasive liver screen?
- autoimmune hepatitis
- primary biliary cirrhosis
- primary sclerosing cholangitis
which conditions might be shown by immunoglobulins on a non-invasive liver screen?
- autoimmune hepatitis
- primary biliary cirrhosis
marker of Wilsons disease on a non-invasive liver screen?
caeruloplasmin
which condition would cause low alpha-1 antitrypsin on a non-invasive liver screen?
alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
markers of hereditary haemochromatosis on a non-invasive liver screen?
raised ferritin and transferrin saturation
which autoantibodies are on the non-invasive liver screen?
- antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
- smooth muscle antibodies (SMA)
- antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA)
- LKM-1 antibodies
investigations in NAFLD?
- liver USS (very basic, doesn’t show much)
- ELF blood test
- NAFLD fibrosis score if ELF unavailable
- fibroscan is 3rd line
management of NAFLD?
- weight loss
- exercise
- stop smoking
- control DM, BP and cholesterol
- avoid alcohol
- if liver fibrosis present then give vit E / pioglitazone
causes / types of hepatitis?
- alcoholic
- NAFLD
- viral (A-E)
- autoimmune
- drug-induced
how might hepatitis present?
- asymptomatic
- abdo pain
- fatigue
- pruritis
- muscle and joint aches
- nausea and vomiting
- jaundice
- fever (if viral)
what are the LFT findings in hepatitis?
- AST and ALT rise disproportionately higher than ALP does
- raised bilirubin
which 2 enzymes are transaminases?
- AST
- ALT
what is the most common viral hepatitis worldwide?
hep A
what type of organism causes hep A? what is the route of transmission?
- RNA virus
- faeco-oral route
presentation of hep A? (hint: there is cholestasis) signs on examination?
- nausea
- vomiting
- anorexia
- jaundice
- dark urine
- pale stools
- moderate hepatomegaly
what type of organism causes hep B? what is the route of transmission?
- DNA virus
- blood / bodily fluid contact and vertical transmission
what % of hep B cases go on to become chronic? how quickly do the rest recover from it?
- 10-15%
- within 2 months
which viral marker indicates active hep B infection?
surface antigen (HBsAg)
which viral marker indicates high infectivity of hep B infection?
E antigen (HBeAg)
which viral marker indicates past / current hep B infection?
core antibodies (HBcAb)
which viral marker indicates vaccination / past / current hep B infection?
surface antibody (HBsAb)
which viral marker is a direct count of hep B viral load?
hep B virus DNA (HBV DNA)
which 2 viral markers are tested for in screening for hep B?
- core antibodies (HBcAb) for past infection
- surface antigens (HBsAg) for active infection
management of hep B?
- screen for other bloodborne viruses and STDs
- refer to GI, ID or hepatology for specialist input
- notify PHE
- stop smoking and alcohol
- education on reducing transmission
- antiviral meds
- liver transplant if end stage disease
what are the possible complications of hep B? how can these be screened for?
- cirrhosis (fibroscan)
- HCC (USS)
what type of organism causes hep C? what is the route of transmission?
- RNA virus
- blood / bodily fluid contact
what % of hep C cases become chronic? is it curable?
- 75%
- yes, with direct acting antiviral medication
complications of hep C?
- cirrhosis
- HCC
how is hep C screened for? how is the diagnosis confirmed?
- hep C antibody test to screen
- hep C RNA testing to confirm (shows viral load)
management of hep C?
- screen for other bloodborne viruses and STDs
- refer to GI, ID or hepatology for specialist input
- notify PHE
- stop smoking and alcohol
- education on reducing transmission
- direct acting antivirals (DAAs) for 12 weeks
- liver transplant if end stage disease
what type of organism causes hep D? what is the route of transmission?
- RNA virus
- faeco-oral route
presentation of hep D? management of hep D?
- mild illness, self-resolving within a month
- notify PHE
- reassure that no treatment is needed
pathophysiology of autoimmune hepatitis?
T cells of immune system recognise liver cells as foreign and attacks them
what age group does type 1 autoimmune hep present in? how might it present?
- adults
- postmenopausal women with fatigue and liver disease signs O/E, less acute presentation
what age group does type 2 autoimmune hep present in? how might it present?
- children
- teens / 20yos with acute hepatitis, raised AST/ALT and IgG, jaundice, very acute presentation
which autoantibodies are found in type 1 autoimmune hep?
- antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
- anti-smooth muscle antibodies (anti-actin)
- anti-soluble liver antigen (anti-SLA)
which autoantibodies are found in type 2 autoimmune hep?
- anti-liver kidney microsomes-1 (anti-LKM1)
- anti-liver cytosol antigen type 1 (anti-LC1)
how is the diagnosis of autoimmune hep confirmed?
liver biopsy
management of autoimmune hep?
- high dose prednisolone initially
- then azathioprine
- lifelong drugs
- can recur in a transplanted liver
what is haemochromatosis?
a genetic iron storing disorder which causes an excess of total body iron
which gene mutation (and chromosome) is associated with haemochromatosis?
mutation in the HFE gene on chromosome 6
inheritance pattern for haemochromatosis?
autosomal recessive
typically which age would haemochromatosis present at?
> 40 years old
why does haemochromatosis present later in females?
menstruation actively eliminates iron from the body
presentation of haemochromatosis?
- chronic tiredness
- joint pain
- bronze pigmentation of skin
- hair loss
- erectile dysfunction
- amenorrhoea
- cognitive (memory / mood disturbance)
investigations for haemochromatosis?
- serum ferritin level (diagnostic)
- transferrin saturation - to see whether you need to do genetic testing
- genetic testing (gold standard)
- liver biopsy with Perl’s stain
- CT abdo
- MRI liver and heart
complications of haemochromatosis?
- T1DM (iron in pancreas)
- liver cirrhosis, HCC (iron in liver)
- endocrine and sexual problems (hypogonadism, impotence, amenorrhoea, infertility), from iron in pituitary and gonads
- hypothyroidism (iron in thyroid)
- cardiomyopathy (iron in heart)
- chrondocalcinosis, arthritis (iron in joints)
management of haemochromatosis?
- weekly venesection
- monitor serum ferritin
- treat complications