GI Flashcards
What can cause ALTs and ASTs in the 1000s?
- Drugs/toxins
- Auto-immune hepatitis
- Viral hepatitis (A,B,D,E)
- Vascular
- Shock liver
- Budd-Chiari
- Acute stone within 24hrs
- Wilson’s (rarely)
What can cause ALTs and ASTs in the 100s?
- Viral hepatitis (B,C) CMV, EBV
- Alcoholic hepatitis
*
What can cause ALTs ASTs <100
- Autoimmune hepatitis (caeliacs)
- NASH
- HH
- Wilson’s
- A1AT
What are causes of increased ALP (predominantly)
- Extrahepatic
- Stones
- Strictures
- PSC
- Benign obstruction
- IgG4
- AIDS cholangiopathy
- Malignant obstruction
- Intrahepatic
- Rx
- Antibiotics
- TPN
- estrogens
- MTx
- PBC
- Infections
- IHCP
- Infiltrative disease
- Rx
What is the workup for cholestasis?
- U/S, CT, MRCP, EUS (R/O stones)
- ERCP not for diagnosis
- Liver Bx
How is Hepatitis A transmitted?
Fecal-Oral
What is the diagnostic test for hepatitis A?
Anti HAV IgM
How is hepatitis A treated
- Self-limited infection
- Treatment is supportive
- Transplant for fulminant hepatitis
Who should be vaccinated against Hep A?
- Travellers to Hep A endemic countries
- Chronic liver disease
- MSM
- IVDU
- Recurrent plasma-derived clotting factors
- Zoo-keepers
- Vets handling non-human primates
Who should get hep a post-exposure proophylaxis
- Household contacts of hep a infected individuals
- Co-workers and clients of infected food handlers
- Contacts in childcare or junior and senior kindergarten
How are hepatitis B serologies interpreted
What is the natural history of hepatitis B
- <5% progress to chronic HBV
- <1% progress to liver failure
How is acute hepatitis B treated
- Mainly supportive
Which contacts of hepatitis B patients should get vaccinated and get immunoglobulins?
- Household contacts
- Sexual contacts
What factors increase the risk of developing cirrhosis in hepatitis B patients?
- Host factors
- Older age
- male
- immunocompromised
- Co-infection with HIV/HCV/HDV
- EtOH
- Metabolic syndrome
- Disease factors
- High DNA/ALT
- Prolonged time to eAg seroconversion
- eAg negative mutant
- Genotype C
What factors increase the risk of developing HCC in hepatitis B patients?
- Host factors
- Older age
- Male
- immunocompromised
- Family History
- Born in sub-saharan africa
- Co-infection with HIV/HCV/HDV
- EtOH
- Metabolic syndrome
- Aflatoxin ingestion
- Smoking
- Disease factors
- High DNA/ALT
- Prolonged time to eAg seroconversion
- eAg negative mutant
- genotype C
- Cirrhosis
*Not for cirrhosis
What workup should be sent on diagnosis of Hep C?
- CBC
- Cr
- ALT
- HBV DNA
- HBe serology
- Fibroscan or Biopsy
- In high risk groups: HIV+Hep D
What investigations should be done every 6 months in patients with HBV?
- ALT
- HBV DNA
If both persistently elevated, repeat fibroscan
- US for HCC screening if indicated
- NOT AFB
ALL every 6-12 months
Who should get US screening for HCC in the HCV population
- Asian M>40
- Asian F>50
- Africans > 20
- All cirrhotics
- Family Hx HCC (first degree relatives)
- All HIV coo-infected starting at age 40
Who should be treated for chronic HBV?
- Cirrhosis
- Liver transplant workup if decompensated, MELD>15
- Fibrosis > stage 1 with HBV DNA >2000 regardless of HBeAg status (even with normal ALT)
- Extrahepatic manifestations
- HBeAg +, elevated ALT, HBV DNA >20 000
- HBeAg - , elevated ALT, HBV DNA > 2000
-
Pregnancy
- 3rd Trimester + high DNA levels (HBV DNA >200 000) to prevent fetal transmission
- Baby should also get HBIG (and vaccines) after birth
Do not treat:
- Immune tolerant phase or inactive CHB phase (normal ALT)
- Acute infection
What is the goal of chronic HBV treatment?
- Suppress virus
- eAg seroconvert
- Only applies to eAg +
- sAg seroconvert
What will the treatment of chronic HBV accomplish
Prevent cirrhosis and HCC
How is chronic HBV treated (what meds)
- PEG interferon
- Nucleotide analogues
- tenofovir
- entecavir
- lamivudine
How should chronic HBV in the 3rd Trimester of pregnancy be treated
Tenofovir
List pros and cons of peg-interferon for the treatment of HBV
-
Pros
- Finite therapy
- Generally more durable response
-
Cons
- ++ Side effects
- Only specific patients benefit
- Low DNA, high ALT
- Non-cirrhotic HBeAg + (practically not used anymore)
- Unable to use in decompensated cirrhotics
List pros and cons of nucleotide analogues
-
Pros
- Potent viral suppression
- Well tolerated
- Tenofovir/entecavir very high barrier to resistance, considered first line
-
Cons
- Generally many years to lifelong therapy (esp. in eAg negative)
- Expensive
- Unlikely to seroconvert sAg
Who should be screened for HCV?
- Hx of current or past IVDU
- Recieved healthcare or personal services where there is a lack of infection control and prevention practices
- Recieved blood transfusions, blood products or organ transplant before 1992 in canada
- Hx of or current incarceration
- Born or resided in a region where Hep C prevalence is >3%
- such as
- Central, east and south asia
- Australasia and oceania
- Eastern europe
- Subsaharan africa
- North Africa or the middle east
- Born to a HCV positive mother
- Hx of sexual contact or sharing of personal-care items with someone who is HCV-infected
- HIV infection, particularly in MSM
- Chronic HD treatment
- Elevated ALT
- Born between 1945 and 1975
Interpret HCV serologies
What is the natural History of HCV?
What workup should be sent on diagnosis in HCV?
- HCV genotype testing
- HCV RNA level
- HIV, HBV
- Liver enzymes
- Liver function testing
- Abdominal US
- Fibrosis assesment
- Fibroscan
- Fibrotest
- APRI
- Biopsy
Which factors increase the risk of cirrhosis in chronic HCV?
- Older age
- Male sex
- HIV/HBV co-infection
- Obesity/DM/fatty liver
- EtOH
What factors increase the risk of HCC in patients with chronic HCV?
Cirrhosis or co-existing liver disease which may accelerate fibrosis
Who should get treatment for chronic HCV
ALL infected patients, except:
- Short life expectancy from comorbidities
- Priority to patients with cirrhosis, advanced fibrosis or extrahepatic manifestations
- Sometimes if decompensated, may treat after transplant (Avoid MELD purgatory)
Give an approach to HCV treatment
- Get information
- Check HCV RNA and genotype and check for co-infections
- Fibrosis/cirrhosis assessment
- If cirrhosis, consider transplant assessment
- Treat
- Consider in all patients especially if fibrosis, cirrhosis or extrahepatic manifestations
- Chose Tx regimen
- Re-assess
- Check viral load 12-weeks post treatment completion
- If negative, likely cure
What is the typical LFT pattern in alcoholic hepatitis?
- AST/ALT >2
If you suspect alcoholic hepatitis and the liver enzymes are over 300, what should you do?
Consider alternalte diagnosis Or get Bx
What should you do to confirm alcoholic hepatitis in a patient with underlying confounding liver disease?
Get a Bx
How should alcoholic hepatitis be treated?
- Calculate MELD or Maddrey discriminant function
- MELD>20 or Maddrey >32: Prednisone 40mg PO daily x28 days then taper
NO role for pentoxifylline (possible benefit in HRS)
Can consider NAC in addition to steroids
Name the contraindications to steroids in Alcoholic hepatitis
- Infection
- SBP
- Active HBV
- TB
- +/- HCV
- GI bleeding (relative)
Once a patient with alcoholic hepatitis is on steroids, how do you decide to continue or stop the steroids?
- Calculate Lille score
- >0.45: Not responding. Stop
- <0.45: Responding. Continue full course
- If patient has no improvement at 4-7 days, consider stopping prednisolone since unlikely to help
When should transplant be considered in alcoholic hepatitis
- If hepatic failure, refer:
- MELD≥21
- CP-c
- Typically requires 6 months of abstinence but there are exceptions
Name 2 vital non-pharmacological strategies to prevent recurrent alcoholic hepatitis
- Nutrition
- EtOH abstinence
What is the difference between NAFL and NASH?
- NAFL: no hepatocellular injury
- NASH: + hepatocellular injury
What is NAFLD?
NAFL+NASH
What is required to diagnose NAFLD
- Evidence of steatosis
- NASH can can only be diagnosed definitively on Bx
- liver enzymes may or may not be elevated
- Ruled out secondary causes
List conditions associated with NAFLD
- Obesity
- T2DM
- DLP
- Metabolic syndrome
What is the most common cause of death in NAFLD
Cardiovascular
How is NAFLD treated
- Weight loss
- ≥ 3-5% of body weight to improve steatosis, ≥7-10% to improve fibrosis
- Dietary changes + moderate-intensity exercises
- Pharmacotherapy
- Pioglitazone + Vitamin E (for Bx proven NASH)
- Bariatric surgery
- Identify + manage CV risk factors
- Statins are OK in NAFLD/NASH and compensated NASH cirrhosis. Avoid in decompensations
List the causes of cirrhosis
- Viral
- EtOH
- NASH
- A-I
- Metabolic
- …
How is the child-pugh score calculated?
What is the MELD criteria required to refer a patient for transplant
MELD≥15
What are the complications of cirrhosis?
- Varices
- Ascites/SBP
- Encephalopathy
- HRS, HPS, porto-pulmonary hypertension
- HCC
What councilling should be given to cirrhotic patients?
- Abstinence from alcohol
- Andequate nutrition
- In NAFLD: Weight loss
- Limit acetaminophen to <2g/day
- Avoid sedatives, NSAIDS, ACEI/ARBs
- Get vaccinated for HAV, HBV, flu
What should be done in primary prophylaxis to prevent bleeding in patients with varices?
What should be done in secondary prophylaxis to prevent bleeding in patients with varices?
Beta blocker AND banding
How is the SAAG interpreted?
- SAAG>11: transudate
- SAAG<11: Exudate
How should ascites related to portal hypertension be managed?
- Initial management
- Treat underlying liver disease
- Salt restriction (<2g/88mmol/day)
- Water restriction not necessary unless Na<125
- Diuretics
- Start with spironolactone 100 and lasix 40 then titrate
- Failing medical therapy
- Regular therapeutic paracentesis
- Give albumin 6-8g/L of fluid removed if removing >4L
- Can consider TIPS if no contraindications (Encephalopathy, HCC)
- Regular therapeutic paracentesis
- Liver transplant
How can compliance to Na restricted diet be assessed?
- 24hrs urine sodium collection
- Na<78mmol: Compliant
- Na>78mmol: non-compliant
Diuretics should be started if ongoing ascites or unable to comply
How can diuretic effectiveness and compliance to a low sodium diet be assessed in patient with ascites on diuretics?
- 24hrs urine Na:
- If Na<78: Diuretic resistant. Increase dose
- If Na>78 AND not losing weight: non-compliant with low sodium diet. Reinforce diet
- If Na>78 and losing weigh: Compliant with diet and diuretic sensitive. Stay the course
Who should get a diagnostic paracentesis to rule out SBP?
When suspected
All patients with new ascites
All cirrhotic patients with ascites presenting to hospital
List the classic symptoms of SBP
- Abdominal pain
- fever
Can also present with encephalopathy, hypotension, AKI, worstening liver function
How can a diagnosis of SBP be posed?
- Neutrophils in ascitic fluid>250 or positive cultures
- Culture negative still requires full treatment course
Name one thing that should be ruled out before diagnosing a patient with SBP
Secondary causes of peritonitis (i.e perf, recent surgery…)
How is SBP treated
- Ceftriaxone IV x 5 days
- Fluoroquinolone if pen allergy
- Albumin
- if Cr>88, BUN>10.7, bili>68 (in practice everyone)
- 1.5g/kg on day 1, 1g/kg on day 3
Who should get prophylaxis for SBP
- Patients who previously had SBP
- Patient with cirrhosis who present with GI bleeding
- In hospital
- Not necessary too have ascites
- Cirrhosis where ascitic fluid protein in <15g/l and at least 1 of:
- Impaired renal function (Cr≥106, BUN≥8.9, Na≤130)
- Impaired liver function (CP≥9, bili ≥51)
What are the clinical manifestations of HH
- Deposition of iron in various organs
- Liver
- Cirrhosis
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Skin
- Bronze hyperpigmentation
- Endocrine
- Hypopituitarianism (impotence amenorrhea)
- DM (islet cell destruction)
- MSK
- Arthropathy
- Osteophytes in 2nd and 3rd MCP
- Arthropathy
- Fatigue
- Increased risk of infection
- Yersinia enterolitica
- Listeria monocytogenes
- E. Coli
- Vibrio Vulnificus
- Liver
Give a DDx for iron overload
- Frequent blood transfusions
- SS
- Thalassemias
- Other chronic liver disease
- NAFLD
- HCV
- EtOH misuse
Give an approach to the diagnosis and treatment of HH
How is HH treated. Give 1st and second line
- 1st Line: Phlebotomies, target ferritin 50-100
- 2nd Line: Iron chelation
- Desferoxamine
- deferiprone
- deferasiroox
What side-effects/risks are associated with iron chelation?
- Retinal/auditory toxicity (Desferroxamine)
- Agranulocytosis (deferiprone)
- Liver/renal toxicity (deferasirox)
What foods/supplements should be avoided in HH?
- Vitamin C supplements
- Uncooked seadfood
No need to limit red meat/dietary iron
List risk factors for caeliac disease
- Northern European descent
- Family History
- T1DM
- AI thyroid disease
- Down and turner syndrome
- 1st degree relative
- IgA deficiency
List symptoms and signs of caeliac disease
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- anemia
- osteooporosis + enamel defects
- elevated transaminitis
- infertility
- Vitamin + mineral deficiencies
- B12
- D
- Fe
- Calcium
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
Give the workup for caeliac’s disease
When should HLA DQ2/DQ8 testing be considered?
Negative test effectively rules out celiac’s disease:
- Equivocal histology in seronegative patients
- Evaluation in patients on a gluten free diet
- Discordant histology and serology
- Suspicion of refractory celiac or when diagnosis is in question
- Patients with Down syndrome
- Patients with a history diagnosis of celiac
How is celiac treated
Lifelong gluten free diet
What food items contain gluten?
- BROW acronym
- Barley
- Rye
- Oats (often contaminated)
- Wheat
What should be done on follow-up after a diagnosis of celiac’s
- Diet history
- Follow-up serologies 6 and 12 months post Dx then annually
- Expect reducing Ab titers and improvement of histology
*Persistent Sx despite negative serology - repeat Bx
What further workup should be considered after a diagnosis of Celiac’s disease?
- Micronutrient deficiencies
- Fe
- Folate
- Vit D
- B12
- BMD per guidelines
List complications of celiac’s disease
- Nutritional deficiencies and anemia
- Osteopenia/osteoporosis
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Dermatitis herpetiformis
- Enteropathy associated T cell lymphoma
How is dermatitis herpetiformis treated
Dapsone and gluten free diet
*R/O G6PD deficiency
Who should be screened for celiac disease?
- +FHx
- DM-1
- Autoimmune thyroid disease
- Down’s and turners synrdrome
List clinical manifestations of Chrohn’s disease
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- fever
- peri-anal symptoms
List common lab findings in Crohn’s disease
- Increased CRP
- Low iron
- Anemia
- B12 deficiency
How is Crohn’s disease diagnosed?
- Ileocolonoscopy + Biopsy
- Patchy inflamation
- Skip lesions
- aphtous ulcers
- cobblestone mucosa
- Rectal involvement + circumferential continuous inflammation less common in CD vs UC
- Small bowel imaging +/- OGD
- CT/MR enterography
- capsule endoscopy
How is crohn’s disease treated?
- Induction treatment
- Mild disease
- Sulfasalazine
- Budesonide
- *No role for 5ASA or other thiopurine
- Moderate to severe
- Budesonide
- Prednisone/methylpred
- MTX
- Anti-TNF
- Infliximab
- Adalimumab
- Anti-integrin
- Vedolizumab
- Anti IL12/23
- Ustekimumab
- Mild disease
- Maintenance & remissionn
- Mild
- Thiopurine
- Moderate to severe
- Thiopurine
- MTX
- Anti-TNF
- Anti-integrin
- Anti IL12/23
- Mild
*When starting an anti-TNF, combine with thiopurine
What are markers of crohn’s disease severity?
- High CRP
- symptoms affecting lifestyle
- low albumin
- deep ulcerations on endoscopy
- complications
What is the prefered agent in fistulizing crohn’s
Anti-TNF
How is perianal disease treated in crohn’s disease?
- Charracterize the fistula with EUS or MRI
- Anti-TNF for induction and maintenance
- +/- antibiotics if concern for infection
- Cipro+Flagyl
- Surgical consultation for drainage up front if abscess (drain prior to anti-TNF), complex fistula or medical failure