Inflammatory Bowel Disease Flashcards
What is inflammatory bowel disease?
chronic recurring inflammation secondary to abnormal prolonged immune response to a normal stimulus in genetically susceptible individuals
What is the cause of Crohn’s disease?
immune dysregulation and dysbiosis which promotes chronic inflammation, the ultimate cause of which is not fully understood
what are the risk factors for crohn’s disease?
- active and passive smoking of tobacco
- familial aggregation
- genetic predisposition - NOD2 gene
What are skip lesions?
pattern of patchy, discontinuous inflammation in the bowel
affected areas interspersed with normal tissue
What is the pathology of crohn’s disease? (4)
- skip lesions
- creeping fat
- hypertrophic lymph nodes
- transmural inflammation
What are the histological characteristics of crohn’s disease?
- noncaseating granulomas
- giant cells
- distinct lymphoid aggregates of the lamina propria
What are the constitutional symptoms of crohn’s disease? (3)
- low grade fever
- weight loss
- fatigue
What are the intestinal symptoms of crohn’s disease? (6)
- chronic diarrhoea - nonbloody
- abdominal pain - typically in the right lower quadrant
- malabsorption
- palpable abdominal mass in the right lower quadrant
- enterocutaneous perianal fistulas
- oral aphthae
Where does crohn’s disease typically manifest?
in the terminal ileum
What are the joint manifestations of crohn’s disease?
enteropathic arthritis
what are the manifestations of crohn’s disease in the eyes? (3)
- uveitis
- Iritis
- episcleritis
What are the manifestations of crohn’s disease in the liver/bile ducts?
cholelithiasis
Why does crohn’s disease cause cholelithiasis?
Due to malabsorption, the bile acid for lipid digestion is lost, increased cholesterol concentration promotes stone formation
What are the manifestations of crohn’s disease in the urogenital system?
urolithiasis
What does a crohn disease activity index (CDAI) score of 0-149 indicate?
asymptomatic remission
What does a crohn disease activity index (CDAI) score of 150-220 indicate?
low to moderate activity
What does a crohn disease activity index (CDAI) score of 221-450 indicate?
moderate to high activity
What does a crohn disease activity index (CDAI) score of 451-1100 indicate?
high activity, fulminant disease
How is crohn’s disease diagnosed? (3)
- coloscopy
- gastroscopy
- x ray of small intesting
How is crohn’s disease monitored?
- ultrasound
2. CT
What is the pathophysiology of crohn’s disease?
mediated by dysfunctional IL-23-Th17 signalling
What is the pathophysiology of ulcerative colitis?
mediated by Th2 cells
What is the frequency and characteristics of defaecation in crohn’s disease? (2)
- increased defaecation
2. typically nonbloody, watery diarrhoea
What is the frequency and characteristics of defaecation in ulcerative colitis? (4)
- greatly increased
- bloody diarrhoea with mucous
- tenesmus
- urgency
What is the nutritional status of someone with crohn’s disease?
poor or malnurished
what is the nutritional status of someone with ulcerative colitis?
mostly normal
What is seen on physical examination of someone with crohn’s disease? (3)
- mostly constant pain in right lower quadrant
- palpable abdominal mass
- low grade fever
What is seen on physical examination of someone with ulcerative colitis? (4)
- painful defaecation located in left lower quadrant
- abdominal cramps and tenderness
- tachycardia
- orthostatic hypotension
What are the extraintestinal manifestations unique to crohn’s disease? (2)
- nephrolithiasis
2. cholelithiasis
What are the extraintestinal manifestations unique to ulcerative colitis?
primary sclerosing cholangitis
What are the extraintestinal manifestations common to crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis? (7)
- pyoferma gangrenosum
- erythema nodosum
- uveitis
- episcleritis
- aphthous stomatitis
- peripheral arthritis
- spondylitis
What are fistulas like in crohn’s disease?
- common to skin, bladder or in between loops
2. may cause pneumaturia and/or recurrent UTIs
What are fistulas like in ulcerative colitis?
Rare
What are the complications of crohn’s disease?
- abscess
- strictures
- perianal fissures
What are the complications of ulcerative colitis?
- fulminant colitis
- toxic megacolon
- perforation
What is the cancer risk common to CD and UC? (2)
- increased due to underlying pathology
2. increased secondary to immunosuppression
What type of cancer is associated with crohn’s disease? (3)
- small intestine
- colon
- non-hodgkin lymphoma
What type of cancer is associated with ulcerative colitis? (2)
- cholangiocarcinoma
2. colorectal cancer
What antibodies are associated with crohn’s disease?
anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA)
What antibodies are associated with ulcerative colitis?
Myeloperoxidase antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA)
Where is crohn’s disease located?
- terminal ileum and colon with rectal sparing
2. may affect the entire GI tract
where is ulcerative colitis located?
colon
What is the pattern of inflammation seen with crohn’s disease?
discontinuous
skip lesions
What is the pattern of inflammation seen with ulcerative colitis?
continuous
What is the typical diagnostic findings with crohn’s disease? (5)
- cobblestone sign
- pinpoint lesions
- snail trails
- creeping fat
- string sign
What is the typical diagnostic findings with ulcerative colitis? (4)
- friable mucosa
- mucosal ulcerations - deep or superficial
- crypt abscesses
- loss of haustra - led pipe sign
What is the histology of crohn’s disease? (4)
- transmural inflammation
- noncaseating granulomas
- giant cells
- lymphoid aggregates
What is the histology of ulcerative colitis? (2)
- confined to mucosa and submucosa
2. no granulomas
What is the medication used to treat crohn’s disease? (4)
- corticosteroids
- thiopurine analogues
- anti-p40 antibodies
- alpha 4 integrase inhibitors
What is the medication used to treat ulcerative colitis?
- 5-aminosalicylic acid
- 6-mercaptopurine
- calcineurin inhibitors
What surgical treatment is used for crohn’s disease?
noncurative surgery can be used to alleviate symptoms
What surgical treatment is used for ulcerative colitis?
curative surgery possible
proctocolectomy