Gastroenterology Flashcards
What are the 4 most common causes of liver cirrhosis ?
Alcohol-related liver disease
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
What are some rarer causes of liver cirrhosis?
Autoimmune hepatitis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Haemochromatosis
Wilsons disease
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
Cystic fibrosis
Drugs (e.g., amiodarone, methotrexate and sodium valproate)
What are some findings on examination of a patient with liver cirrhosis?
Cachexia
Jaundice
Hepatomegaly
small nodular liver
splenomegaly
palmar erythema
Gynaecomastia and testicular atrophy
bruising
excoriations
ascites
caput medusae
Leukonychia
asterixis
What does a non-invasive liver screen involve?
USS
Hep B & C serology
Autoantibodies
Immunoglobulins
Caeruloplasmin
Alpha-1 antitrypsin levels
Ferritin and transferrin saturation
What autoantibodies are relevant to liver disease ?
Antinuclear antibodies
Smooth muscle antibodies
Antimitochondrial antibodies
Antibodies to liver and kidney microsome type-1
What would LFT’s show in decompensated cirrhosis?
Raised Bilirubin, ALT, AST, ALP
Apart from LFT’s what other blood tests may be deranged in cirrhosis?
Low albumin
Increase prothrombin time
Thrombocytopenia
Hyponatraemia
Urea and creatinine deranged in hepatorenal syndrome
What is the tumour marker for hepatocellular carcinoma ?
Alpha-fetoprotein
What is the first line investigation for assessing fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
Enhanced liver fibrosis blood test (ELF)
10.51 or above = advanced fibrosis
What is used to diagnose non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
Ultrasound = Increased echogenicity
What type of scan can be used to determine the degree of fibrosis to test for liver cirrhosis?
Transient elastography (FibroScan)
What is the MELD score?
Model for End-Stage Liver Disease
formula considers the bilirubin, creatinine, INR and sodium and whether they require dialysis, giving an estimated 3-month mortality as a percentage
score every 6 months
What is the Child-Pugh score and what are the components?
Assesses the severity of cirrhosis and prognosis
A - albumin
B - bilirubin
C - clotting (INR)
D - dilation (ascites)
E - encephalopathy
What is the monitoring protocol for liver cirrhosis?
MELD score every 6 months
Ultrasound and alpha-fetoprotein every 6 months for hepatocellular carcinoma
Endoscopy every 3 years for oesophageal varices
What are the 4 key features of decompensated liver disease?
A - Ascites
H - Hepatic encephalopathy
O- Oesophageal varices bleeding
Y - Yellow (Jaundice)
What is the overall 5 year survival rate in liver cirrhosis?
50%
What are some important complications of cirrhosis?
Malnutrition and muscle wasting
Portal hypertension, oesophageal varices and bleeding varices
Ascites and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Hepatorenal syndrome
Hepatic encephalopathy
Hepatocellular carcinoma
What is the prophylaxis management of varices?
Non-selective beta blockers (e.g., propranolol) first-line
Variceal band ligation (if beta blockers are contraindicated)
What is the initial management of bleeding oesophageal varices?
Immediate senior help
Consider blood transfusion (major haemorrhage protocol)
Treat any coagulopathy (fresh frozen plasma)
Vasopressin analogues (terlipressin or somatostatin)
Prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotics
Urgent endoscopy with variceal band ligation
Consider intubation and intensive care
What are the management options for ascites?
Low sodium diet
Aldosterone antagonists
Paracentesis
Prophylactic antibiotics
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (if refractory)
Liver transplantation
What are some presenting features of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis ?
Fever
Abdo pain
Deranged bloods (raised WBC, CRP, creatinine, metabolic acidosis)
Ileus (reduced movement in intestines)
Hypotension
What are the 2 most common organisms in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
E.coli
Klebsiella pneumoniae
How is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis managed?
Take sample of ascitic fluid for culture before antibiotics
IV broad spectrum antibiotics
What toxin builds up to cause hepatic encephalopathy?
Ammonia
What are some factors that can trigger or worsen hepatic encephalopathy?
Constipation
Dehydration
Electrolyte disturbance
Infection
GI bleeding
High protein diet
Medications
How is hepatic encephalopathy managed?
Lactulose (aim for 2-3 soft stools a day)
Antibiotics e.g. Rifaximin
Nutritional support
Describe the stepwise progression of alcohol-related liver disease
- Alcoholic fatty liver (hepatic steatosis)
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
State 5 complications of alcohol consumption
Alcohol-related liver disease
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
Pancreatitis
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
Alcoholic myopathy
Increased risk of CVD and cancer
What blood test results would be suggestive of alcoholic-related liver disease?
Raised MCV
Raised ALT and AST
AST: ALT ratio above 1.5
Raised gamma-GT
Raised ALP
Raised bilirubin
Low albumin
Increased prothrombin time
Deranged U&E’s in hepatorenal syndrome
Name 5 other investigations besides bloods that may be done in suspected alcohol-related liver disease
Liver USS
FibroScan
Endoscopy (oesophageal varices)
CT/MRI
Liver biopsy
What are the general principles of managing alcohol-related liver disease?
Stop drinking
Psychological interventions
Nutritional support (thiamine, high protein diet)
Corticosteroids (may improve inflammation in short term)
Treat complications
Liver transplant (6 months of abstinence required)
What are the CAGE questions?
C – CUT DOWN? Do you ever think you should cut down?
A – ANNOYED? Do you get annoyed at others commenting on your drinking?
G – GUILTY? Do you ever feel guilty about drinking?
E – EYE OPENER? Do you ever drink in the morning to help your hangover or nerves?
Name 2 screening tools for harmful alcohol consumption
CAGE
AUDIT
Describe the timeline of alcohol withdrawal symptoms
6-12 hours: tremor, sweating, headache, craving and anxiety
12-24 hours: hallucinations
24-48 hours: seizures
24-72 hours: delirium tremens
What are some presenting features of delirium tremens?
Acute confusion
Severe agitation
delusions and hallucinations
tremor
tachycardia
hypertension
hyperthermia
ataxia
arrhythmias
What can be used to score a patient on the alcohol withdrawal symptoms?
CIWA-Ar
What medications are given to combat the effects of alcohol withdrawal?
Chlordiazepoxide
Pabrinex (to prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff)
State 3 features of Wernicke’s encephalopathy
Confusion
Oculomotor disturbances (disturbances of eye movements)
Ataxia (difficulties with coordinated movements)
What causes Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome ?
Thiamine (B1) deficiency
State 2 features of Korsakoff syndrome
Memory impairment (retrograde and anterograde)
Behavioural changes
What are the stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ?
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)
Fibrosis
Cirrhosis
State 5 risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Middle age onwards
Obesity
Poor diet and low activity levels
Type 2 diabetes
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Smoking
What is metabolic syndrome a combination of?
hypertension, obesity and diabetes
What investigations can be done in suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
ALT (raised)
Liver USS - confirms diagnosis
ELF bloods (1st line to assess fibrosis)
NAFLD Fibrosis score, Fibrosis 4
FibroScan
Liver biopsy
What are the management options for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
weight loss
healthy diet
exercise
stop smoking
avoid/limit alcohol
control diabetes, BP and cholesterol
vitamin E, pioglitazone, bariatric surgery, liver transplantation
What is the type of virus, transmission, vaccine and treatment for hepatitis A ?
type: RNA
transmission: Faecal-oral
vaccine: yes
treatment: supportive
What is the type of virus, transmission, vaccine and treatment for hepatitis B?
type: DNA
transmission: Blood/bodily fluids
vaccine: yes
treatment: supportive/antivirals
What is the type of virus, transmission, vaccine and treatment for hepatitis C?
type: RNA
transmission: blood
vaccine: no
treatment: direct-acting antivirals
What is the type of virus, transmission, vaccine and treatment for hepatitis D?
type: RNA
transmission: always with hepatitis B
vaccine: no
treatment: Pegylated interferon alpha
What is the type of virus, transmission, vaccine and treatment for hepatitis E?
type: RNA
transmission: faecal-oral
vaccine: no
treatment: supportive
What symptoms of viral hepatitis may a patient present with?
Abdominal pain
Fatigue
Flu-like illness
Pruritus (itching)
Muscle and joint aches
Nausea and vomiting
Jaundice
Describe the key viral markers in hepatitis B
Surface antigen (HBsAg) – active infection
E antigen (HBeAg) – a marker of viral replication and implies high infectivity
Core antibodies (HBcAb) – implies past or current infection
Surface antibody (HBsAb) – implies vaccination or past or current infection
Hepatitis B virus DNA (HBV DNA) – a direct count of the viral load
What are the differences between the 2 types of autoimmune hepatitis?
Type 1 typically affects women in their late forties or fifties. It presents around or after menopause with fatigue and features of liver disease on examination. It takes a less acute course than type 2.
Type 2 usually affects children or young people, more commonly girls. It presents with acute hepatitis with high transaminases and jaundice.
What would blood tests show in autoimmune hepatitis?
Investigations will show high transaminases (ALT and AST) and minimal change in ALP levels (a “hepatitic” picture). Raised immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels are an important finding.
What are the autoantibodies in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis?
Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA)
Anti-smooth muscle antibodies (anti-actin)
Anti-soluble liver antigen (anti-SLA/LP)
What are the autoantibodies in type 2 autoimmune hepatitis?
Anti-liver kidney microsomes-1 (anti-LKM1)
Anti-liver cytosol antigen type 1 (anti-LC1)
How is autoimmune hepatitis managed?
High-dose steroids
immunosuppression e.g. azathioprine
Liver transplant in end-stage
What is the inheritance pattern of Haemochromatosis?
autosomal recessive
What is haemochromatosis?
excessive total body iron and deposition of iron in tissues
What gene is associated with hemochromatosis and where is it located?
human haemochromatosis protein (HFE) gene is located on chromosome 6
What mutation relates to haemochromatosis?
C282Y mutations
How may Haemochromatosis present?
Chronic tiredness
Joint pain
Pigmentation (bronze skin)
Testicular atrophy
Erectile dysfunction
Amenorrhoea (absence of periods in women)
Cognitive symptoms (memory and mood disturbance)
Hepatomegaly
What are some causes of a raised ferritin?
Haemochromatosis
Infections (it is an acute phase reactant)
Chronic alcohol consumption
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Hepatitis C
Cancer
What investigations can be done for haemochromatosis?
Ferritin
Transferrin saturation
Genetic testing
Liver biopsy with Perl’s stain
MRI
What are some complications of haemochromatosis?
Secondary diabetes
Liver cirrhosis
Endocrine and sexual problems (hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, amenorrhea and reduced fertility)
Cardiomyopathy
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Hypothyroidism
Chondrocalcinosis
How is haemochromatosis managed?
Venesection
monitoring serum ferritin
Monitoring and treating complications
What is the inheritance pattern of Wilson’s disease ?
autosomal recessive
Excessive accumulation of what causes Wilsons disease ?
Copper