Gastroenterology Flashcards
Serum to Ascites albumin gradient
- causes of high gradient
- causes of low gradient (5)
Use of Beta blocker in Primary Prophylaxis of Variceal Bleeding
Beta blockers
- reduced bleeding rates vs placebo
- reduce risk of first variceal bleed by 50%
- medium to large sized varices benefit more
- No clear mortality benefit
- poorly tolerated at required dose (given low baseline BP in cirrhotic patients already)
What’s a biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch look like?
The Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch – abbreviated as BPD/DS – is a procedure with two components.
- A smaller, tubular stomach pouch is created by removing a portion of the stomach, very similar to the sleeve gastrectomy. A segment of the distal (last portion) small intestine is then brought up and connected to the outlet of the newly created stomach,
- Next, a large portion of the small intestine is bypassed - bypassed small intestine, which carries the bile and pancreatic enzymes that are necessary for the breakdown and absorption of protein and fat, is reconnected to the last portion of the small intestine so that they can eventually mix with the food stream.
Significance of H. pylori infection
- Gastric Cancer - up to 2% lifetime risk
- MALT lymphoma
- PUD
- nearly all duodenal ulcers
- 2/3 of gastric ulcers
Hep C - on treatment and post treatment monitoring
- Examples of antiviral combinations: Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir, Sofosbuvir/daclasstavir, paritaprevir/ritonavir
- Give for 12w if no cirrhosis, for 12-24w with cirrhosis
- Monitor LFTs at week 0, 4 and 12
- Decompensated cirrhosis – need to be referred to gastroenterologist. Avoid protease inhibitors – can precipitate liver failure. Have to consider transplant
Monitoring post SVR (Sustained Virologic Response) in Hep C
Contraindications to Liver transplantion in hep C
Think of difficult CASES
- Coronary/cerebrovascular disease - significant
- Advanced HCC
- Substance misuse including alcohol use
- Extra-hepatic infection
- Inadequate Social support
Indications for assessment by liver transplant centre in Hep C (8)
-mnemonic MESHSCAM
- MELD score >13
- Encephalopathy - Recurrent or chronic hepatitic encephalopathy
- SBP
- Hepatorenal syndrome
- Small HCC
- Child Pugh >B7
- Ascites, refractory
- Malnutrition, severe
Genetic HLA type(s) associated with coeliac disease
HLA DQ2
HLA DQ8
What is the single preferred test for diagnosis of coeliac disease
IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) for individuals >2 years old
If an IgA deficiency is suspected either
-measure IgA levels and or test IgG deamidated gliadin peptides
Genetics of Hereditary Haemochromatosis
Autosomal recessive disorder of HFE (Hereditary Fe) gene with 2 missense mutations on chromosome 6
Only C282Y homozygotes and occasional C282Y/H63D compound heterozygotes develop clinically significant iron overload
Effect of pre PPI prior to endoscopy for UGIB
Cochrane Review 2010
- No significant difference in mortality, rebleeding rates or requirements for surgery between PPI and controls
BUT
-there was significant reduction in endoscopic stigmata of haemorrhage and need for endoscopic intervention in patients treated with PPI
?start the healing process prior to endoscopy
Effect of Post endoscopy PPI in H+M
Rate of rebleeding, blood transfusion requirement, and duration of hospital stay are lower
Mortality was less but not statistically significant
These were all high risk ulcers
Features of GI ulcers and likelihood of bleeding without therapy
Therefore, top 4 = intervene
Flat spots, clean-based ulcers = no intervention
Endoscopic Treatment of Oesophageal varices
Endoscopic rubber band ligation preferred
- significant reduction in bleeding at 1 year and 2 year
- significant mortality benefit at 2 years
- can get post band bleeding from ulceration 5 - 7 days post
- Preferred over injection sclerotherapy - due to reduced mortality and rebleeding.
- Sclerotherapy rarely performed now.
Management of gastric varices
Suggestion that glue based injection was superior to band ligation or sclerotherapy in:
- Initial haemostasis
- Recurrent bleeding risk
Guidelines for bleeding gastric varices:
- Endoscopy performed at centers with experience in their management.
- If no experience in glue injection, consider banding.
-
Interventional radiology support:
- transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS)
- balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO)
Pitfalls of glue injection:
- Too quick -> embolization – splenic/pulmonary infarcts a 1-4% risk
- Too much -> embolization) – max 3-4ml depending on size of varix
- Too slow –> glue needle in varix
Complications of TIPS procedure
Shunts blood from portal to hepatic circulation (bypasses liver)
Worsens/increases hepatic encephalopathy
Acute and long term stenosis
Risk of worsening liver disease in Child Pugh C patients
Beware in right heart failure (TTE preferable prior)
Evidence based therapies for NAFLD
-
Loss of weight is the best therapy for NAFLD
- -7 to 10% = improves liver histology
- -10% = can resolve NAFLD
-
Metformin
- -improved liver function (LFTs), improves steatosis and time to development of diabetes
- Statins are safe in fatty liver (unless large, isolated GGT rise)
Investigations in Haemochromatosis
-What is the most sensitive initial screening tool
-
Fasting morning transferrin saturation
- -most sensitive initial screening tool
- -if >45% will detect almost all C282Y homozygotes = do HFE genotypes
-
Serum Ferritin - less useful in Dx
- -Rises later in Fe overload
- -Acute phase reactant, can be elevated by alcohol, steatosis or inflammatory states
- -if >1000 (and no confounders), liver biopsy is indicated
- If both transferrin saturation and serum ferritin are normal
- -NPV 97% so no further testing is indicated
Surveillance of Liver Nodule
Indications for liver transplantation in acute liver failure
AST:ALT Ratio
Diagnostic Algorithm of HCC
Characteristic finding: Arterial enhancement and portal vein washout
Management and Prognosis of HCC
Cannot use TACE (chemo-embolisation) in decompensated disease due to these patients requiring arterial supply for O2 to liver
SBP Treatment and prevention
-
Recurrence rate at one year 70% -reduced to 20% with long-term norfloxacin secondary prophylaxis
- EVERY PATIENT THAT HAS EPISODE OF SBP GOES ONTO 2ndry PROPHYLAXIS
- No difference between bactrim and norfloxacin (Austin study).
- Primary prophylaxis in those with low protein (<10g/L) ascites or bilirubin >50 with impaired renal function
SBP fluid Dx and organisms
Criteria for liver transplantation in HCC
Distinguishing features of Crohn’s Disease
-name at least 7
Extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease
- Which 4 are associted with active GI disease
- Which 5 are found independent of GI activity
Role of Thiopurines in IBD
Side effects of Thiopurines
Side effects of TNFa inhibitors
Infusion/injection site reactions - most common