GI Flashcards
What is the MELD score used for?
- -prognosis (3 mo. day mortality)
- -prioritization of liver transplant
liver enzymes:
4-30 fold ↑↑ in total and direct bilirubin
hyperbilirubinemia of sepsis
3 tx options for eosinophilic esophagitis:
- -PPI
- -topical steroids
- -elimination diet
occult GI bleeding often results in:
anemia
How does the pain threshold of IBS patients compare to controls?
IBS patients show lower pain thresholds aka visceral hypersensitivity
H. pylori + NSAIDS = ___-fold ↑ in PUD risk
60
accounts for ≥ 80% cases of UGI bleeds in cirrhotics
variceal hemorrhage
3 dx methods for gastroparesis:
- -succussion splash (done w/ stethescope)
- -UGI (showing dilated stomach)
- -Scintigraphy (rate of gastric emptying)
invisible colon on imaging=
small bowel obstruction
“alarm sssx” in pt. presenting w/ GI ssx should prompt:
referral to gastroenterologist
2 mechanisms of altered brain-gut communication resulting in FGIDs
- -disturbed gut function/ sensation
- -disturbed CNS function
Neurotransmitter that affects GI motility, secretion and visceral sensation
serotonin
Age and gender epidemiology of IBS:
60-75% are women and present at a younger age (26-45 yo) More common in Western world (aka caucasians)
What determines the character of externalized blood from an upper GI bleed?
rate of blood loss
What do esophageal varies result from?
portal HTN → backup of L. gastric v. →distal esophageal v. → dilation of v. = varice
What does the serum ascites-albumin gradient (SAAG) tell you abou the ascites?
Whether it is d/t portal HTN or not →
- SAAG ≥ 1.1 = portal HTN
DDx of hyperbilirubinemia w/o cholestasis (3):
- -hyperbilirubinemia of sepsis
- -Gilbert’s syndrome
- -Hemolysis
Medical management of encephalopathy (3):
- -ID and correction of precipitating causes
- -lactulose (oral/enema)
- -Rifaximin (non-absorbed Abx) (no role for protein restriction)
4 possible pathophysiologic etiologies of GERD:
- -incompetent antireflux barrier
- -aggressive refluxate (gastric acid +/- bile acids)
- -↓ clearance of acid from the esophagus
- -↑ abdominal pressure (pregnancy)
Diagnostic evaluation for GERD following acid-suppressing Rx trial is indicated for (3):
- -doubt about dx (atypical ssx)
- -chronic or refractory ssx
- -“warning ssx” (dysphagia, bleeding, weight loss)
What is the parietal peritoneum?
thin serous membrane that lines the abdominal cavity
2 main etiologies of odynophagia:
(painful swallowing)
- -infectious esophagitis (in immunocompromised pts)
- -pill esophagitis (pill gets stuck and dissolves causing direct damage to mucosa)
Components of the brain-gut axis (3):
- -CNS: brainstem, cerebral cortex
- -ANS: symp. + parasymp.
- -ENS: sensory and motor neurons w/in the gut wall
4 food groups removed (FODMAP diet) in diet modulation therapy sometimes used in IBS patients:
- -oligosaccharides (fructans & galacto-oligos)
- -disaccharides (lactose)
- -monosaccharides (fructose)
- -polyols (sorbitol, mannitol etc.)
5 pathophysiologic causes of chronic diarrhea:
- osmotic
- secretory
- maldigestive/absorptive
- inflammatory
- functional
Location of ssx of esophageal dysphagia:
suprasternal notch or substernally (rarely epigastric)
What are tagged RBC (“bleeding”) scans helpful for evaluating?
intermittent bleeding (esp if obscure bleed)
Define organic disease:
structure change to tissue or organ
define melena:
black, tarry (sticky) stool
Other than bleeding, what other possible complications can Meckel’s cause (2)?
- obstruction (intussusception or volvulus)
- diverticulitis
What are 2 distinct types of GI bleeding that are difficult to detect for the naked eye?
- occult (not visible to patient or physician)
- obscure (overt or occult bleeding that persists or recurs after initial (-) endo/colon-oscopy eval
3 signs of liver decompensation:
- ascites
- variceal bleeding
- hepatic encephalopathy
Why are Hgb/hematocrit levels not useful in an acute GI bleed scenario?
Hgb/hematocrit isn’t ↓ in acute blood loss because the extracellular fluid hasn’t had time to move into the vascular dept. yet (to restore circulating volume)
orthostatic drop in BP indicates a loss of ~ __% blood volume loss. Is this significant?
15%, YES! -helps you estimate the rate/rapidity of bleeding during eval
What test is used to test esophageal motility?
esophageal manometry
4 types of mechanical obstructions that can cause esophageal dysphagia:
- tumors (cancer in esophagus/proximal stomach)
- benign stricture
- webs, rings
- foreign body
3 dx tests for esophageal dysphagia:
- upper endoscopy
- barium radiography
- esophageal manometry
3 factors to consider when deciding whether to order an imaging exam:
- Who is your patient?
- What is their hx?
- Contraindications
Diagnostic criteria for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP):
≥ 250 PMNs/mm^3 in ascitic fluid
Is coagulopathy (low platelets) CI to paracentesis?
NO!! No additional risk!! TAP DAT!
DDx of cholestatic injury pattern (↑ ALP ± ↑bili) (5):
- 1º biliary cholangitis (PBC)
- 1º sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
- DILI
- Biliary obstruction
- Infiltrative processes (TB, amyloidosis, lymphoma, diffuse metastatic dz)
syndrome (rare) assoc. w/ gastrinomas → PUD
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
What is the definition of IBS in terms of ssx criteria? When is IBS considered chronic?
Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort ≥ 3 d/mo in the last 3 mo w/ ≥ 2 of the following:
- improvement w/ defecation
- onset assoc. w/ Δstool freq.
- onset assoc. w/ Δstool form
Considered chronic if above is true and ssx onset ≥ 6 mo prior to dx
What is required for the brain-gut axis to work properly (2)?
- normally functioning nervous system
- intact smooth muscle
4 types of lifestyle modifications used in tx of GERD
- head of bed elevation
- dietary modifications
- weight reduction
- avoidance of late meals
What is the ligament of Treitz? What other anatomic landmark coincides w/ its location?
- suspensory muscle of the duodenum
- located @ the duodenal-jejunal junction
2 mechanisms by which GERD can cause dysphagia
- inflammation can cause dymotility
- stricture
2 MCCs of acute diarrhea:
- infx (90%)
- meds
T/F: localization of actual GI bleeding site using Tagged RBC scan is easy
False! tricky!
What are 4 types of overt (obvious) GI bleeds?
- hematemesis
- coffee ground emesis
- melena
- hematochezia
2 uses of angiography in GI bleed:
- identify bleed (0.5-1.0 ml/min)
- treat (embolize) bleed
T/F: Fold increase of aminotransferases correlates w/ severity of liver injury
FALSE! Correlates poorly
Ambulatory pH monitoring in GERD is indicated for (2):
- atypical ssx and (-) endoscopy
- ssx refractory to standard Rx
What are 5 possible etiologies of a LGI small bowel bleed?
- angioectasias (AVM) (more common in old peeps)
- IBD (erosions, ulcers)
- NSAID enteropathy (“)
- tumors
- Meckel’s diverticulum (more common in kiddos)
Define Functional Disorders:
conditions in which the patient has a variable combination of ssx w/o any readily identifiable structural or biochemical abnormality
Define hematemesis:
vomit containing obvious blood
Which labs should be ordered on ascitic fluid for first time tap in pt. w/ new-onset ascities d/t suspected cirrhosis (2)?
- serum ascites-albumin gradient
- cell count w/ differential
occult bleeding is typical of what disease process?
early colon cancers
Onset of ssx of oropharyngeal dysphagia
immediate
Is H. pylori invasive?
NO!! lives in gastric mucus layer (surface of gastric epithelium)
Where is the location of ssx of oropharyngeal dysphagia?
throat above the suprasternal notch
How does Zollinger-Ellison syndrome cause PUD?
gastrinoma produces gastrin →↑ blood [gastrin] → gastric acid hyperprdn. →↑ basal acid output → ulcer
What are the 4 key general steps to think about when you suspect a patient has a GI bleed?
-confirm there is/has been a GI bleed
- fecal occult blood test etc.
- BUT don’t look for anemia (Hbg/hematocrit levels not accurate in acute setting)
- estimate rate/rapidity of bleeding
- resuscitate/stabilize!
- investigate probable site/source of bleeding
What does Meckel’s diverticulum result from embryologically?
failure of the omphalomesenteric duct to undergo involution during development
Rx therapy for H. pylori infx
Triple therapy → PPI + 2 Abx for 2 weeks
Which cells in the gut produce and secrete serotonin (5-HT)?
enterochromaffin (EC) cells
Define achalasia:
failure to relax (the LES)
Common ssx of oropharyngeal dysphagia (5):
**difficulty initiating swallowing +
-cough, choking, drooling, nasal regurgitation
As little as 50-100 mL of blood in the upper GI tract can cause ___
melena
Does absence of reflux esophagitis on endoscopy exclude the dx of GERD?
No!! GERD can manifest soley as ssx!! → then titled NERD
3 complications of GERD
- ulcer
- stricture
- Barrett’s esophagus
Evidence supports urgent endoscopy for UGI/LGI bleed
UGI → ↓ mortality, hospital stay, transfusion requirements
PE findings suspicious for organic GI dz (4):
- malnutrition
- skin rashes
- inflammatory arthropathy
- abdominal mass
supine hypotension occurs w/ loss of ≥ ___% blood volume?
40%
2 GI protective Rxs sometimes used to prevent/ manage NSAID-induced ulcers
- PPIs (no acid → less injury)
- Misoprostol (PG E1 analog)
Define dysphagia:
difficulty swallowing
Which labs should be ordered on ascitic fluid on subsequent taps in hospitalized pt. or pts w/ suspected infx (2)?
- cell count w/ ddx
- ascitic fluid culture (do in blood culture tubes @ bedside d/t low bacterial load)
Reasons to tap ascites (4):
- new onset ascites (confirm etiology)
- R/O infx if ssx present (fever, abd. pain, leukocytosis)
- any evidence of clinical deterioration (all pts. w/ decompensated cirrhosis)
- relief of ssx d/t tense ascites
% of total body 5-HT located in the GI tract
95%
Goals of IBS therapy (2):
- global relief of ssx (pt. well-being)
- individual ssx relief (abd. pain/discomfort, bloating, altered bowel habits)
Are small bowel bleeds below the duodenal-jejunal junction common?
No! Only 5% of GI bleeds caused by lesions b/w the lgmt of Treitz and the ileocecal valve
Common ssx assoc. w/ eosinophilic esophagitis (2):
- dysphagia
- food impaction
EC cells in the gut produce and secrete 5-HT into the intestinal wall in response to:
stimulation of the villi in the lumen of the intestine
Key to maintaining reasonable life exptectancy in patient w/ HCV cirrhosis
prevent any decompensation events
4 causes of elevated blood [gastrin]
- PPI use
- atrophic gastritis
- renal failure
- Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (gastrinoma)
Tx of acute variceal GI bleed
IV octreotide
What are the 3 causes of esophageal dysphagia?
- esophagitis (MC = peptic)
- Mechanical obstruction
- motility disorder
What mucosal changes take place in Barrett’s esophagus?
squamous epithelium in the distal esophagus is replaced by non-ciliated columnar epithelium w/ goblet cells as a response to acidic stress
define coffee ground emesis
vomit containing dark, altered blood
liver enzymes: 4-60 fold ↑ ALP only
hepatic infiltration