Gastroenterology Flashcards
Primary biliary cirrhosis associations?
- Sjogrens (80%)
- RhA
- SS
- Thyroid disease
- 9F:1M
PBC Dx?
- Immunology = Raised IgM, Anti-Mitochondrial Abs (AMA) M2 subtype (98%, highly specific), ASMA (30%)
- Imaging = required before diagnosis to exclude an extrahepatic biliary obstruction (typically a right upper quadrant ultrasound or magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)
PBC Rx?
- UDCA
- Cholestyramine for pruritis
- Fat soluble vitamin supplementation
- Liver transplantation e.g. if bilirubin > 100 (recurrence in graft can occur but usually not a problem)
PBC complications?
- Cirrhosis
- Osteomalacia and osteoporosis
- HCC (x20)
GORD correlation between symptoms and endoscopy appearance?
Poor correlation
Indications for UGI endoscopy?
- Age >55 y/o
- Symptoms > 4 weeks or persistent symptoms despite treatment
- Dysphagia
- Relapsing symptoms
- Weight loss
If GORD and endoscopy negative Ix?
24hr oesophageal pH monitoring (gold standard for Dx)
PPI stopped when before endoscopy?
2 weeks
Alcoholic liver disease spectrum?
- Alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
Alcoholic liver disease LFTs?
- Raised GGT
- AST:ALT > 2, >3 = strongly suggestive of acute alcoholic hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis management?
- Prednisolone during acute episode = Maddrey’s discriminant function (DF) is often used during acute episodes to determine who would benefit from glucocorticoid therapy, calculated using PT and bilirubin
- Pentoxyphylline sometimes used
UC management classification?
- Inducing remission
- Maintaining remission
UC severity?
- Mild = < 4 stools/day, small blood
- Moderate = 4-6 stools/day, varying blood, no systemic upset
- Severe = >6 bloody stools, systemic upset
Inducing remission in mild to moderate colitis classification?
- Proctitis
- Proctosigmoiditis and left sided
- Extensive disease
Inducing remission in mild to moderate UC proctitis?
- Topical aminosalicylate
- No improvement after 4 weeks –> add oral aminosalicylate
- No improvement –> topical or oral steroid
Inducing remission in mild to moderate UC proctosigmoiditis/left sided UC?
- Topical aminosalicylate
- No improvement after 4 weeks –> add high dose oral aminosalicylate OR switch to a high-dose oral aminosalicylate and a topical corticosteroid
- No improvement –> Stop topicals, oral aminosalicylate + oral corticosteroid
Inducing remission in mild to moderate UC extensive disease?
- Topical AND high dose oral aminosalicylate
- No improvement after 4 weeks –> Stop topicals, oral aminosalicylate + oral corticosteroid
Inducing remission in severe colitis?
- Admit to hospital
- IV steroids (IV ciclosporin if steroids C/I)
- No improvement after 72h –> consider adding IV ciclosporin/surgery
Maintaining remission following a mild to moderate UC proctitis/proctosigmoiditis flare?
- Topical aminosalicylate alone (daily or intermittent)
- Oral aminosalicylate plus a topical aminosalicylate (daily or intermittent) or
- Oral aminosalicylate by itself: this may not be effective as the other two options
Maintaining remission following a mild to moderate UC left sided and extensive UC flare?
Low maintenance dose of an oral aminosalicylate
Maintaining remission following a severe relapse or >/2 UC exacerbations in the past year?
Oral Azathioprine or Oral Mercaptopurine
Is methotrexate used in Rx of UC?
No
C. diff gram and shape?
Gram positive rod
C.diff RFs?
Abx and PPI
Characteristic C.diff bloods?
Raised WCC
C. diff severity scale?
- Mild = normal WCC
- Moderate = WCC <15, 3-5 loose stools per day
- Severe = WCC > 15, temp > 38.5, raised creatinine, abdo/radiological signs of severe colitis
- Life threatening = hypotension, partial or complete ileus, toxic megacolon/CT evidence of severe disease
C.Diff Dx?
- C. diff toxin in the stool
- C. diff antigen positivity only shows exposure to the bacteria, rather than current exposure
C. diff first episode management?
- 1st line = Oral vancomycin 10 days
- 2nd line = Oral fidoxamicin
- 3rd line = Oral vancomycin +/- IV Metronidazole
C. diff recurrent episodes Rx?
Recurrent infection occurs in around 20% of patients, increasing to 50% after their second episode
1. Within 12 weeks of symptom resolution = oral fidoxamicin
2. After 12 weeks of symptom resolution = oral vancomycin OR fidoxamacin
Life threatening C.diff infection Rx?
- Oral Vancomycin AND IV Metronidazole
- Specialist advice - surgery may be considered
C. diff other therapies?
- Bezlotoxumab is a monoclonal antibody which targets C. difficile toxin B
- Faecal microbiota transplant = may be considered for pts who’ve had 2 or more previous episodes
Achalasia symptoms?
- Dysphagia of both liquids and solids from the start
- Heartburn
- Regurgitation of food - may lead to cough, aspiration pneumonia etc.
Pharyngeal pouch mushkies?
- Older men typically
- Posteromedial herniation between thyropharyngeus and cricopharyngeus muscles
- Usually not seen but if large then a midline lump in the neck that gurgles on palpation
- Dysphagia, regurgitation, aspiration, chronic cough, halitosis
Achalasia LES pressure?
Increased
Systemic sclerosis LES pressure?
Decreased
Globus hystericus mushkies?
- History of anxiety
- Symptoms are often intermittent and relieved by swallowing
- Usually painless - presence of pain should warrant further investigation for organic causes
HBsAg?
- Ongoing infection (1-6 months)
- If present for >6 months implies chronic disease i.e. infective
Anti-HBs?
- Immunity = either exposure or infection
- Is negative in chronic disease
Anti-Hbc?
- Previous or current infection (caught)
- Negative if immunised
- IgM anti-HBc appears during acute or recent hepatitis B infection and is present for about 6 months. IgG anti-HBc persists
HBeAg?
Results from breakdown of core antigen from infected liver cells as is, therefore, a marker of infectivity. Marker of HBV replication and infectivity
WHO Diarrhoea definition?
> 3 loose or watery stools per day
Acute diarrhoea definition?
< 14 days
Chronic diarrhoea definition?
> 14 days
Urgent (2ww) endoscopy criteria?
- Dysphagia
- Upper abdominal mass consistent with stomach cancer
- > 55 who have weight loss AND upper abdominal pain/reflux/dyspepsia
Non-urgent endoscopy criteria?
- Haematemesis
- > 55 who have –>
a. Treatment-resistant dyspepsia
b. Upper abdominal pain with low Hb levels
c. Raised platelet count with N&V/weight loss/reflux/dyspepsia/upper abdominal pain
d. N&V with: weight loss, reflux, dyspepsia, upper abdominal pain
Undiagnosed dyspepsia management?
- Review medications
- Lifestyle advice
- PPI for 1 month OR test and treat approach for H. pylori
H. pylori Dx?
Carbon-13 urea breath test or a stool antigen test, or laboratory-based serology ‘where its performance has been locally validated
H. pylori test of cure?
- No need to check for H. pylori eradication if symptoms have resolved following test and treat
- If repeat testing required, then Carbon-13 urea breath test should be used
Causes of B12 deficiency?
- Pernicious anaemia (most common)
- Atrophic gastritis (secondary to H.pylori)
- Gastrectomy
- Malnutrition (e.g. alcoholism)
Pernicious anaemia pathophysiology?
Antibodies to intrinsic factor +/- gastric parietal cells
Vitamin B12 roles and thus malfunction as a result of deficiency?
- Production of blood cells –> megaloblastic anaemia
- Myelination of nerves –> neuropathy
Pernicious anaemia RFs?
- 6F:1M, middle to old age
- Other AI = T1DM, Addisons, RhA, Vitiligo, thyroid disease
- More common in blood group A
Pernicious anaemia features?
- Anaemia = lethargy, pallor, dyspnoea
- Neurological features = peripheral neuropathy (pine and needles, numbness, typically symmetrical and affects legs > arms), SCDSC, neuropsychiatric features
SCDSC features?
- Progressive weakness
- Ataxia
- Paraesthesias that may progress to spasticity and paraplegia
Other features of pernicious anaemia?
- Mild jaundice = combined with pallor results in a ‘lemon tinge’
- Glossitis = sore tongue
Pernicious anaemia Ix?
- FBC = macrocytic anaemia, hypersegmented polymorphs on blood film, low WCC and platelets may also be seen
- Anti-intrinsic factor antibodies = 95% specificity, 50% sensitivity
- Anti-gastric parietal cell antibodies = present in 90%, but low specificity so often not useful clinically
Pernicious anaemia Rx?
- Vitamin B12 replacement usually IM, no neurological features –> 3 injections per week for 2 weeks followed by 3 monthly injections
- More frequent doses given for patients with neurological features
Pernicious anaemia and gastric cancer?
Increased risk
Maximum recommended alcohol consumption?
14 units for men and women
Calculation of units in a drink?
(ml x ABV) / 1000
Haemachromatosis definition?
Autosomal recessive disorder of iron absorption and metabolism resulting in iron accumulation. It is caused by inheritance of mutations in the HFE gene on both copies of chromosome 6
Haemachromatosis screening?
- General population = transferrin saturation is considered the most useful marker. Ferritin should also be measured but is not usually abnormal in the early stages of iron accumulation
- Testing family members = genetic testing for HFE mutation
Haemachromatosis diagnostic tests?
- Molecular testing for C282Y and H63D mutations
- Liver biopsy = Perl’s stain
Typical iron study profile in pt with haemachromatosis?
- Transferrin saturation = >55% in men or >50% in women
- Raised ferritin and iron
- Low TIBC
Haemachromatosis Rx?
- 1st line = Venesection, transferrin saturation should be < 50% and ferritin < 50
- 2nd line = desferrioxamine
Haemachromatosis joint X-rays?
Chondrocalcinosis
Pancreatic cancer associations?
- Age, smoking, diabetes
- Chronic pancreatitis
- HNPCC
- MEN
- BRCA2 gene
- KRAS mutation
Courvoisier’s law?
In the presence of painless obstructive jaundice, a palpable gallbladder is unlikely to be due to gallstones
Pancreatic cancer Ix?
- High-resolution CT scan is investigation of choice
- US has a sensitivity of 60-90%
- Imaging may show double-duct sign = presence of simultaneous dilatation of the common bile and pancreatic ducts
Pancreatic cancer Rx?
- <20% suitable for surgery at Dx
- Whipple’s (pancreaticoduodenectomy) for resectable lesions in the head of the pancreas
- Adjuvant chemotherapy usually given following surgery
- ERCP with stenting often used for palliation
Whipple’s side effects?
- Dumping syndrome
- Peptic ulcer disease
Urea breath test important note?
Should not be performed within 4w of antibacterial or 2w of PPI
When should IBS diagnosis be considered?
Had the following for 6 months (ABC):
1. Abdominal pain
2. Bloating
3. Change in bowel habit
IBS Diagnosis?
Abdominal pain relieved by defecation or associated with altered bowel frequency and stool form, in addition to 2 of the following 4 features:
1. Altered stool passage (straining, urgency, incomplete evacuation)
2. Abdominal bloating, distension or hardness
3. Symptoms made worse by eating
4. Passage of mucus
IBS Ix?
- FBC, ESR/CRP
- Coeliac disease screen (anti-TTG)
Diabetes medication causing cholestasis?
Sulphonylureas e.g. Gliclazide
Classification of drug-induced liver disease?
- Hepatocellular
- Cholestatic
- Mixed
3 drugs causing liver cirrhosis?
- Methotrexate
- Methyldopa
- Amiodarone
TIBC in anaemia?
High
TIBC in ACD?
Low/normal
Ferritin in IDA?
Low
TIBC in pregnancy?
Raised
Transferrin saturation equation?
Serum iron/TIBC
Obesity with abnormal LFTs?
NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease)
Most common cause of liver disease in the developed world?
NAFLD
Key mechanism leading to steatosis in NAFLD?
Insulin resistance
NASH definition?
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a term used to describe liver changes similar to those seen in alcoholic hepatitis in the absence of a history of alcohol abuse. It is relatively common and thought to affect around 3-4% of the general population. The progression of disease in patients with NASH may be responsible for a proportion of patients previously labelled as cryptogenic cirrhosis.
NAFLD ALT and AST?
ALT > AST
NAFLD Ix?
- No screening, management based on incidental findings on liver ultrasound
- Enhanced lived fibrosis (ELF) blood test to check for advanced fibrosis
- Fibroscan can be used
NAFLD Rx?
- Lifestyle changes
- Research ongoing for gastric banding and insulin-sensitising drugs e.g. metformin, pioglitazone
Triggers of UC flare?
- No known trigger
- Stress
- NSAIDs/Abx
- Smoking cessation
When is smoking cessation bad?
Can trigger a UC flare
GI complication of systemic sclerosis?
Malabsorption syndrome = B12 and folate deficiency, low iron and low albumin
Malabsorption features?
- Diarrhoea
- Steatorrhoea
- Weight loss
Classification of malabsorption?
- Intestinal = Coeliac, Crohn’s, Whipple’s, tropical sprue, Giardiasis, brush border enzyme deficiency e.g. lactase insufficiency
- Pancreatic = chronic pancreatitis, CF, pancreatic cancer
- Biliary = obstruction, PBC
- Other = Bacterial overgrowth (systemic sclerosis, diverticulae, blind loop), short bowel syndrome, lymphoma
PSC definition?
A biliary disease of unknown aetiology characterised by inflammation and fibrosis of intra and extra-hepatic bile ducts
PSC associations?
- UC (4% with UC have PSC, 80% with PSC have UC)
- Crohn’s (much less common than UC)
- HIV
PSC Ix?
- ERCP/MRCP gold standard, beaded appearance
- pANCA +ve
- Onion skin on liver biopsy
PSC complications?
- Cholangiocarcinoma in 10%
- Colorectal cancer
Coeliac disease HLA associations?
HLA-DQ2 (95%) and HLA-DQ8 (80%)
Coeliac disease complications?
- Anaemia = iron, folate and B12 deficiency (folate most common)
- Hyposplenism
- Osteoporosis, osteomalacia
- Lactose intolerance
- Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma of small intestine
- Subfertility, unfavourable pregnancy outcomes
- Rare = oesophageal cancer