Gastrointestinal Flashcards
What are the different symptoms for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s?
UC
- bloody diarrhoea
- mucus
- weight loss
- abdominal pain
Crohn’s
- NON-bloody diarrhoea
- abdominal pain
- significant weight loss
- aphthous ulcers
What is the epidemiology of Crohn’s and UC?
Crohn’s = bimodal age distribution
UC = even spread across the ages
What is the aetiology of IBD?
combo of:
- bacteria
- environmental factors
- genetic susceptibility
What different effect does smoking have on UC and crohns?
UC = reduced risk
Crohn’s = increases risk
What is the difference in location of UC and Crohn’s?
UC
- starts in rectum + spreads proximally towards the ileocaecal valve
(never spreads into small bowel or anus)
Crohn’s
- any part of GI tract from mouth to anus
(MC is terminal ileum)
What is the difference in histology between UC and Crohn’s?
UC
- mucosal + submucosal ulceration only
- crypt abscess with neutrophil infiltration
- shallow ulcers with pseudopolyps
Crohn’s
- transmural inflammation (all layers + surrounding fat)
- granulomas
- increase in goblet cells
- skip lesions
- cobblestone mucosa
- deep ulcers
What are the different complications for UC and Crohn’s?
UC
- toxic megacolon (dilatation)
- strictures
- liver problems (inflammation, fibrosis)
- problems in joints
- problems in eyes (iritis, uveitis)
- problems in skin
Crohn’s
(mainly in bowel)
- fissures
- fistulas
- strictures
What does a ‘lead pipe’ bowel on a CT signify?
UC
- colon loses haustra and looks very straight due to dilation
How does UC or Crohn’s affect risk for colorectal cancer?
UC = marked increase
Crohn’s = slight increase
What is the management for UC?
- resuscitate
- prophylactic LMWH (given to all hospital patients to reduce risk of DVT)
- IV steroids
- monitor BM
- stool cultures
- stool chart
- AXR
- flexible sigmoidoscopy
What are the key things to remember for Crohn’s? (mnemonic)
NESTS
N- No blood or mucus
E- entire GI tract
S- Skip lesions
T- Terminal ileum and transmural
S- Smoking is a big risk factor
What it the Truelove and Witts criteria for UC?
> 6 bloody stools/day AND
Tachycardia >90bpm OR
pyrexia >37.8 OR
Hb<10.5g/dl OR
ESr >30 mm/h OR
What are the surgery options for UC and Crohn’s?
UC = surgery is curative
Crohn’s = only use surgery for complications such as strictures
When and what surgery could be used to treat Crohn’s?
When distal ileum is inflamed can surgically resect the area to prevent flare ups
Also used to treat strictures and fistulas
What antibodies are found in patients with UC?
p-ANCAs -perinuclear antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies) in their blood - antibodies that target antigens in the body’s own neutrophil
What are the key things to remember for UC? (mnemonic)
CLOSEUP
C- Continuous inflammation
L- Limited to colon and rectum
O- only superficial
S- Smoking protects
E- Excrete blood and mucus
U- Use Aminosalicylate
P- Primary sclerosis cholangitis
What are the extra intestinal signs of IBD?
A PIE SAC
- Ankylosing spondylitis (HLA B27! - spine + other areas become inflamed)
- Pyoderma gangrenosum (painful nodules become ulcers)
- Iritis (aka anterior uveitis - inflammation of iris)
- Erythema nodosum (swollen fat under the skin causing bumps)
- Sclerosing cholangitis
- Aphthous ulcers / amyloidosis
- Clubbing
How common is cancer in the small intestine? and what are the types?
SI relatively resistant to the development of neoplasia.
Types: adenocarcinomas (MC) or lymphomas
What are the RF for small intestine cancer?
Coeliac disease
Crohn’s disease
What is the difference between ulcerative and granulomous inflammation?
Ulcer = can be caused by bacteria, NSAIDs etc.
Granuloma = chronic inflammation with build up of macrophage surrounded by lymphocytes
What are the investigations for small intestine cancer?
Ultrasound
Endoscopic biopsy = histology
CT scan = may show wall thickening + lymph node involvement
What are the types of benign oesophageal cancer?
Leiomyomas (MC), papillomas, fibrovascular polyps, haemangiomas, lipomas
What are leiomyomas?
A benign smooth muscle tumour
Occur in the oesophageal wall, stomach, bladder, intestine, uterus
- They are intact, well encapsulated and are within the overlying mucosa
- Slow growing
What are the symptoms of benign oesophageal cancers?
Usually asymptomatic
Dysphagia, retrosternal pain, food regurgitation, recurrent chest infections
What are FAP and HNPCC in colorectal cancer?
Both autosomal dominant mutations that increase chance of getting colorectal cancer
FAP = familial adenomatous polyposis
HNPCC = Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer/ Lynch syndrome
What is the difference in genotype of FAP and HNPCC?
FAP
- loss of function mutation in a tumour suppressor on chromosome 5
HNPCC
- mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes lead to microsatelltite instability
What are different colon locations that FAP and HNPCC affect?
FAP = left colon + rectum
HNPCC = right colon
What are the different rates of transformation to colorectal cancer for FAP and HNPCC?
FAP = 100% colon/rectal cancer
- patients usually have a total colectomy + ileo-anal pouch in 20-30s
HNPCC = 50-80% colon cancer
- right sided poorly differentiated, right sided mutinous or adenocarcinoma
What can reduce absorption?
- coeliac
- crohns
- short bowel syndrome
- parasites (guardia lambia)
- infarcted small bowel
- SI resection or bypass
- lack of enzymes (lactose intolerant)
- lymphoma obstruction
When would a small intestine resection occur?
- procedure for morbid obesity
- crohn’s disease
- infarcted all bowel
What defective epithelial transporters reduces absorption?
- abetalipoproteinemia
- primary bile acid malabsorption
(inherited disorder that impairs the normal absorption of fats and certain vitamins)
What are gallstones?
- cholesterol supersaturation
Why do people get gallstones?
- diet/weight loss
- hormonal influence
- haemolytic anaemias
- genetics (genes that code for reduced smooth muscle motility)
- cirrhosis
- sickle cell
What causes bile to be released?
Responds to CCK and then is released from the gallbladder into duodenum
How do you diagnose someone with coeliac disease?
1) Gluten challenge = 6 week gluten containing diet to see if they have villous atrophy when they eat gluten
(villious atrophy, crypt hyperplasia, intraepithelial lymphocytes)
What is the management for coeliac disease?
- strict gluten free diet
- dietitian review
- bone density assessment
- coeliac UK info
- immunisations
What are the genes that can cause coeliac disease?
HLA-DQ2
HLA-DQ8
What are the two auto-antibodies associated with coeliac disease?
Anti-TTG
Anti-EMA
These antibodies relate to disease activity and will rise with more active disease and may disappear with effective treatment.
What are the risks of not going gluten free?
- enteropathy associated T-cell lymphoma
- small bowel adenocarcinoma
- vitamin deficiencies
- osteoporosis
- hyposplenism
- malnutrition
- infertility
- depression
- delayed puberty
- anaemia
- iron + folate deficiencies
What other conditions can be improved by going gluten free?
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
T1DM
Sjogren’s syndrome (affects moisture producing glands)
Primary biliary cholangitis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
Autoimmune hepatitis
Dermatitis herpetiformis
What happens in someone with coeliac disease?
Inflammation affects the small intestine particularly the jejunum. This causes atrophy of the intestinal villi and crypt hypertrophy
These villi are used to help absorb nutrients so coeliac will result in malabsorption.
What are the extra intestinal symptoms of coeliac disease?
Dermatitis herpetiformis (blistering skin condition)
Angular stomatitis (red sore corners of mouth)
Mouth ulcers
failure to thrive
What are the intestinal symptoms of coeliac disease?
Diarrhoea
Weight loss
Bloating
B12 deficiency
What 2 things are needed to indicate coeliac disease?
- IgA-tTG (detect IgA deficiency)
- villous atrophy
Define functional gut disorders
Chronic GI symptoms in the absence of organic disease to explain the symptoms
e.g. IBS, functional dyspepsia (stomach)
What are some of the causes of functional gut disorders?
- visceral hypersensitivity
- motility disturbances
- altered mucosal + immune function
- altered CNS processing
- Altered gut microbiota
What is functional dyspepsia?
- signs and symptoms of indigestion that have no obvious cause
What are the symptoms of IBS?
- chronic frequent abdominal pain
- altered bowel habit
- bloating commonly associated
- symptoms relieved by opening bowel
What are the differential diagnosis of IBS?
- coeliac disease
- IBD
- colorectal cancer
- ovarian cancer
What are the alarm features that it might be more serious than IBS?
- age >45 yrs
- short history of symptoms
- unintentional weight loss
- nocturnal symptoms
- family history of GI cancer/IBD
- GI bleeding
- palpable abdominal mass or lymphadenopathy
- evidence of Fe anaemia
- evidence of inflammation on blood/stool testing
How to make a diagnosis of IBS?
- history
- examination
- 1st line: FBC, CRP, stool faecal calprotectin (indicate inflammation), coeliac serology
- if alarm features = endoscopy, ultrasound
What is faecal calprotectin?
Attracted into bowel from blood by high volume of WBCs in bowel
- indicates inflammation
What is post infectious IBS?
After having food poisoning, gastroenteritis or another infection can trigger symptoms of IBS
What is the function of the peritoneum?
In health:
Visceral lubrication
Fluid and particulate absorption
In disease:
Pain perception.
Inflammatory and immune responses
Fibrinolytic activity
What is peritonitis?
Inflammation of the peritoneum
What are the causes of peritonitis?
Bacterial, gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal
Chemical, e.g. bile, barium
Traumatic, e.g. operative handling
Ischaemia, e.g. strangulated bowel, vascular occlusion
Miscellaneous, e.g. familial Mediterranean fever
What are the pathways that infection can spread to the peritoneum?
Gastrointestinal perforation, e.g. perforated ulcer, appendix, diverticulum
Transmural translocation (no perforation), e.g. pancreatitis, ischaemic bowel, primary bacterial peritonitis
Exogenous contamination, e.g. drains, open surgery, trauma, peritoneal dialysis
Female genital tract infection, e.g. pelvic inflammatory disease
Haematogenous spread (rare), e.g. septicaemia
What are the clinical features of localised peritonitis?
S&S of the underlying condition
Pain
Nausea and vomiting
Fever
Tachycardia
Localised guarding (involuntary contraction of the abdominal wall)
Rebound tenderness
Shoulder tip pain ( subphrenic)
Tender rectal and / or vaginal examination (pelvic peritonitis).
What are the clinical features of diffuse/generalised late peritonitis?
Generalised rigidity
Destension
Absent bowel sounds
Circulatory failure
Thready irregular pulse
(Hippocratic face - the face as death approaches, sunken eyes and mouth)
Loss of consciousness
What are the clinical features of generalised early peritonitis?
Abdominal pain ( worse by moving or breathing)
Tenderness
Generalised guarding
Infrequent bowel sounds cease ( paralytic ileus)
Fever
Tachycardia
What are the investigations for peritonitis?
Urine dipstix for urinary tract infection.
ECG if diagnostic doubt (as to cause of abdominal pain) or cardiac history.
Bloods:
U&Es
Full blood count (WCC)
Serum amylase (acute pancreatitis/ others like perf DU)
Group and save - identify blood group + checks for antibodies that will affect a future transfusion
What is the management for peritonitis?
CORRECTION OF FLUID LOSS AND CIRCULATING VOLUME
URINARY CATHETERISATION ± GASTROINTESTINAL DECOMPRESSION
ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY
ANALGESIA
Surgical = repair perforation, drainage, peritoneal lavage
What are different special forms of peritonitis?
Bile peritonitis (bile leaks)
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (infection of ascitic fluid)
Primary pneumococcal peritonitis (genital infection in young girls)
Tuberculous peritonitis (TB of GI spread through hematogenous route or perforation)
Familial Mediterranean fever (periodic peritonitis - hereditary inflammatory disorder)
What is ascites?
An accumulation of excess serous fluid within the peritoneal cavity.
What are the 4 classification of ascites?
Stage 1 detectable only after careful examination / Ultrasound scan (Mild)
Stage 2 easily detectable but of relatively small volume.
Stage 3 obvious, not tense ascites. (moderate)
Stage 4 tense ascites. (Large)
What are the transudates causes of ascites?
Transudates (protein <25g/L)
(-trans = moves across membrane + think causes of fluid shifting)
- Low plasma protein concentrations: Malnutrition
- Nephrotic syndrome Protein-losing enteropathy
- High central venous pressure: Congestive cardiac failure
- Portal hypertension: Portal vein thrombosis /Cirrhosis
What are the exudate causes of ascites?
Exudates (protein >25g/L)
Peritoneal malignancy
Tuberculous peritonitis
Budd–Chiari syndrome (hepatic vein occlusion or thrombosis)
Pancreatic ascites
Others: Chylous ascites, Meigs’ syndrome
What is the main cause of ascites?
cirrhosis
What is the clinical presentation of ascites?
- abdominal distension (gaining weight)
- nausea, LOA
- constipation
- cachexia - wasting?
- pain/discomfort = malignant or non-malignant
- puddle sign
- shifting dullness (moves as fluid moves around)
- flank dullness (due to fluid pooling at bottom of stomach)
- fluid thrill/wave (in large ascites, tap on one side and feel fluid vibration at hand on other side of stomach)
What are the investigations for ascites?
- underlying cause (LFTs, cardiac function)
- Imaging (X-ray, ultrasound, CT)
- ascitic aspiration
- fluid for microscopy, cytology culture
What is the treatment for ascites?
- Treatment of the specific cause
- Sodium restriction
- Diurectics
- Paracentesis (up to 4-6 L / day with colloid replacement - drain)
- Indwelling drain ( home paracentesis , smaller volumes)
- Peritoneovenous shunting ( for rapidly accumulating ascites: abandoned)
What are the Duke stagings for Bowel cancer?
A = limited to submucosa
B = limited to muscular layer
C = spread to at least 1 lymph node
D = Distant metastatic spread
Which part of the GI tract does coeliac disease affect?
Small intestine
What is pseudomembranous colitis?
Severe inflammation of the colon lining after taking antibiotics
- normally due to a rise in C.difficile bacteria, that then cause inflammation
What are owl eye inclusions bodies and what do they signify?
Nuclei of cells infected by CMV (cytomegalovirus)
- usually in immunosuppressed patients
What is Zenker’s diverticulum?
(pharyngeal pouch)
- some food goes down pouch instead of totally down the oesophagus
What are the symptoms of Zenker’s diverticulum?
Smelly breath - food is accumulating in oesophagus
Regurgitation and aspiration of food
What is Meckel’s diverticulum?
Commonest congenital malformation of the small bowel
- failure of vitelline duct to obliterate so an intestinal pouch forms
What are the complications of meckel’s diverticulum?
Majority are asymptomatic
- GI bleeding, obstruction, inflammation or perforation
What is the treatment for meckel’s diverticulum?
surgical resection, either with a laparoscopic or open approach
What are the causes of acute gastritis?
H.Pylori infection
Alcohol abuse
Stress (critically ill/post surgery)
NSAIDs
What are the causes of chronic gastritis?
H.Pylori infection
Autoimmune gastritis (parietal and intrinsic factor antibodies)
How does H.Pylori cause gastritis?
- It produces urease which converts urea to ammonia and CO2 which is toxic since the ammonia will react with HCL to form ammonium.
- The ammonium will damage the gastric mucosa resulting in less mucus production
What are the clinical manifestations of gastritis?
Nausea
Abdominal bloating
Vomiting
Epigastric pain
Indigestion
Haematemesis- “coffee ground” vomiting and melaena
Iron deficiency anaemia due to constant bleeding
What is the general investigation for gastritis?
Endoscopy will show gastric inflammation and atrophy
How would you test for autoimmune gastritis?
Testing for autoimmune gastritis
- Look for anti-IF (intrinsic factor) antibody and anti-parietal cell antibodies
- Raised gastrin levels, reduced pepsinogen
What are the tests for H.Pylori?
- CLO test Urea breath test
- Stool antigen test
Before testing, stop PPI for at least 2 weeks; antibiotics for 4 weeks
How would you treat gastritis not caused by H.Pylori?
- Remove causative agents such as alcohol/NSAIDs
- Reduce stress
- H2 antagonists e.g. ranitidine or cimetidine - to reduce acid release
- PPIs e.g. lansoprazole or omeprazole - to reduce acid release
- Antacids - neutralise acid to relieve symptoms
How do you treat a H.Pylori infection?
Triple threat (PPI and 2 antibiotics) twice a day for 7 days
- 1st line PPI, 1g amoxicillin and clarithromycin 500mg
If penicillin allergy then give metronidazole 400mg as well as instead
What are the complications of gastritis?
Peptic ulcers
Bleeding and anaemia
MALT lymphoma (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue)
Gastric cancer
What is Peptic ulcers disease?
A break in the mucosal lining of the stomach or duodenum more than 5 mm in diameter.
What are more common gastric or duodenal ulcers?
Duodenal ulcers are more common than gastric ulcers.
What drugs can cause Peptic Ulcer Disease?
- NSAIDs inhibit COX enzyme which is needed for prostaglandin synthesis
- SSRIs, steroids and bisphosphonates can also cause as they break down the protective layer
What lifestyle factors can cause Peptic Ulcer Disease?
Smoking and alcohol: may lead to increased acid.
Caffeine: may lead to increased acid.
Stress: may lead to increased acid.
What other health conditions can cause PUD?
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome:a gastrinoma (tumour) that results in numerous peptic ulcers due to elevated gastrin levels
- Blood type O
- Raised intracranial pressure:causes vagal stimulation which increases acid production (Cushing’s ulcer).
- Severe burn: hypovolaemia secondary to a burn causes reduced perfusion of the stomach leading to necrosis (Curling ulcer)
What are the signs of PUD?
Hypotension and tachycardia
Epigastric tenderness
What are the symptoms of PUD?
Burning epigastric pain
Nausea
Hematemesis or melaena- caused by the perforation of an artery
Indigestion (Dyspepsia)
Reduced appetite
What is the gold standard test for PUD?
Endoscopy and biopsy.
It excludes malignancy. Will not be performed for non-bleeding ulcers
What is used to stratify the risk for a GI bleed?
Glasgow Blatchford score
What factors are considered in the Glasgow Blatchford S?
HB
Urea
BP
Gender
Tachycardia
Melaena
Syncope
Hepatic disease history
Cardiac failure present
What is the difference in pain onset between a gastric and duodenal ulcer?
Gastric ulcer is worse straight after eating and duodenal is better 1-2 hours after eating but then worsens 2 hours after
Which artery is perforated in gastric vs duodenal ulcers?
Gastric= Left gastric
Duodenal= Gastroduodenal
What are the signs of perforation in gastric vs duodenal ulcers?
Gastric= haematemesis and melena
Duodena= Melaena and haematochezia (fresh blood through anus)
How would you treat an active peptic ulcer bleed?
First line:
- IV crystalloid
- Blood transfusion
- Endoscopy
- High dose IV PPI
Second line
Surgery or embolization (blocking abnormal vessels) by interventional radiology: reserved for cases where adequate haemostasis is not achieved at endoscopy
What are the complications of PUD?
- Perforation: life-threatening as ulcer penetrates the duodenum or stomach into the peritoneal cavity causing peritonitis. May also allow air to collect under the diaphragm and irritate the phrenic nerve causing referred shoulder pain. Requires surgical intervention!
- Gastric outlet obstruction/ pyloric stenosis: caused by obstruction of the pylorus due to an ulcer and subsequent scarring. Presents with abdominal pain, distension, vomiting and nausea after eating
What is GORD?
Reflux of stomach contents into the oesophagus.
What are the lifestyle risk factors for developing GORD?
Obesity
Pregnancy
Smoking
NSAIDs, caffeine and alcohol
What are the biological risk factors for GORD?
- Hiatus hernia- pushes the stomach up into the diaphragm
- Male sex
- Scleroderma: muscle of the lower oesophageal sphincter is replaced by connective tissue, so it can’t contract properly.
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome: increased gastrin causes increased HCl secretion
Describe the pathophysiology of GORD?
- When there is very low pressure in the oesophagus reflux will persist for longer becoming pathological.
- Persistent acid reflux damages the mucosa causing inflammation.
- This will eventually lead to oedema and erosion of the mucosa.
What happens to the oesophageal mucosa as GORD progresses?
- The epithelium will become damaged and replaced by scar, making the walls thicker and the lumen narrower
- As there is damage there will be metaplasia of the cells going from stratified squamous to simple columnar (Barret’s oesophagus).
- This can eventually lead to adenocarcinoma (3-5%)
What are the key symptoms of GORD?
Heart burn
Regurgitation which is worse when lying down
What are some other symptoms of GORD?
Epigastric pain
Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
Dyspepsia (indigestion)
Extra-oesophageal: cough, asthma, dental erosion
What are the initial investigations for GORD in people without red flag symptoms?
Can be diagnosed based on clinical presentation and based on whether PPI trial would resolve the symptoms
PH monitoring
What are the the red flag symptoms for GORD? (mnemonic)
ALARMS
A- Anaemia
L- Loss of weight
A- Anorexia
R- Recent onset
M- Melaena
S- Swallowing difficulties