IBD Flashcards
what type of bug is TB
acid fast bacilli
what is crohns disease
chronic inflammatory and ulcerating condition of the GI tract that can affect anywhere from the mouth to the anus
where is crohns most common
terminal ileum and colon
what is the most common age group for crohns diagnosis
early 20s (50% 20-20, 90% 10-40)- commoner in males
other than the bowl where can crohns affect
stomach, oesophagus, mouth, rectum/anus
what is the presentation of crohns
abdominal pain (colicky), small bowl obstruction, diarrhoea, bleeding PR, anaemia, weight loss, tender abdomen
is crohns curable
no but patients can go into lasting remission
what investigations should be done for crohns
endoscopy and mucosal biopsy
what appearance is seen in endoscopy
cobble-stone appearance
what is the endoscopic pattern of crohns disease
Patchy, segmental disease with skip areas (lesions) anywhere in GI tract
(skip areas= bits of unharmed tissue surrounded by damaged tissue)
what does the normal colonic mucosa look like
crypts packed together like rack of test tubes
describe a biopsy of crohns
chronic inflammation in lamina propria (fills with inflammatory cells)
- cryptisis
- crypts are irregular shape- look shattered
- crypt abscess can form
- granulomas (macrophages in a tight ball like sarcoidosis) non caseating
- transmural inflammation
- deep knife like fissuring ulcers
describe a non caseating granuloma
abnormal collection of macrophages and derivates such as giant cells that do not show a soft centre
are granulomas always found in crohns
no 50% of people dont
how does crohns cause bowl obstruction
fibrosis- stricture- obstruction
what happens to the wall of the bowl in crohns
is thickened- deep fissuring ulceration destroys mucosa (cobble stoning)
why does anaemia, fatigue, weight loss and diarrhoea happen in crohns
as lumen filled with pus- cannot absorb aswell
what types of polyps might be seen in crohns
pseudopolyps
how is crohns transmural inflammation
affects all 3 layers of the bowel
what are the complications of crohns
malabsorption, fistulas, intractable disease, bowl obstruction, anal disease, perforation, malignancy, amyloidosis, rarely toxic megacolon
what is an iatrogenic cause of malabsorption in crohns
short bowl syndrome due to repeated resections and recurrences
what can result from malabsorption in crohns
Hypoproteinemia, Vitamin deficiency, Anaemia, gallstones
what type of anaemia does iron deficiency lead to
microlytic- small red blood cells
what is macrolytic anaemia and what causes it
blood with an insufficient concentration of hemoglobin- red blood cells larger than normal
vitamin B12 and folate deficiency
what is blind loop syndrome
bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
what is included in anal disease in crohns
sinuses, fissures, skin tags, abscesses, perineum falls apart
what is intractable disease from crohns
failure to tolerate or respond to medical therapy, continuous diarrhoea or pain, may require surgery, not curative
what is amyloidosis
a rare disease that occurs when a substance called amyloid builds up in your organs
what is amyloid
an abnormal protein that in produced in bone marrow
what is toxic megacolon
dilated bowel
where does crohns and UC have a high incidence
north america and northern europe, high in scotland
what genetic defects are associated with crohns
NOD2 (CARD15)on chromosome 16
(encodes a protein in bacterial recognition)
HLA-DR1
HLA-DQw5
what are the environmental triggers to crohns
smoking increases risk
infectious agents (viral, mycobacterium) cause similar pathology
vascilutis could explain segmental distribution
sterile environment theory
what autoimmune features could cause crohns
persistent T cell and macrophage activation
excess pro inflammatory cytokine production
why do gene defects cause crohns
as they prevent a controlled effective immune response to a trigger (more susceptible to environmental agents)
what is ulcerative colitis
chronic inflammatory (mucosal and submucosal inflammation) disorder confined to the colon and rectum of unknwon aetiology
bloody diarrhoea with infection excluded= think what?
UC
what age group has peak incidence
30s, can occur in any
where does UC affect
confined to colon and rectum
where in GI tract does crohns usually spare
the rectum
what is the clinical presentation of UC
diarrhoea, mucus and blood PR
what are the different onsets of UC
chronic course with exacerbation and remission
continuous low grade activity
a single attack
an acute colitis (toxic megacolon)
what investigations should be done for UC- bloody diarrhoea and mucous
endoscopy and mucosal biopsy
what is seen on an endoscopy in UC
red inflamed rectum- diffusely ulcerated, almost always involving the rectum
what does UC never go higher than
the ileoceacal valve
describe a biopsy of UC
massive influx of inflammatory cell- colonic mucosa gone, no barrier, infiltrate of inflammatory cells in the submucosa destroying the crypts
crypts are irregularly shaped and branching- acute cryptitis
crypt abscesses
severe ulceration with fibrinopurulent exudate
what are the features of chronic inactive UC
low grade chronic inflammation with crypt distortion and low grade diarrhoea
what is a surgery used in severe UC
subtotal colectomy- bowl removed
what can cure UC
removal of the large bowl
are pseudopolyps seen in UC
yes
where in inflammation confined to in UC
the mucosa and submucosa (except in toxic megacolon) SUPERFICIAL ULCERATION
are there granulomas in UC
no
what are the complications of UC
intractable disease, toxic megacolon, colorectal carcinoma, blood loss, electrolyte disturbance, anal fissures, extra GI manifestations: eyes, liver, joints, skin,
describe intractable disease in UC
continuous diarrhoea, flares may be due to intercurrent infection by enteric bacteria or CMV (cytomegalovirus)
describe toxic megacolon
acute or acute on chronic (an exacerbation) fulminant colitis- colon swells and will rupture unless removed by emergency colectomy- colon fills with fluid, pus and blood
why does UC lead to colorectal cancer
as chronic inflammation leads to epithelial dysplasia and then carcinoma