Inflammatory Bowel Disease Flashcards
Differentiate the proximal and distal colon.
proximal: ascending and transverse colon
distal: descending and sigmoid colon
What is inflammatory bowel disease?
idiopathic disease caused by immune response to intestinal flora
-comprised of ulcerative colitis and Crohns
What is ulcerative colitis?
chronic inflammatory condition characterized by episodes of inflammation limited to the mucosal layer of the colon
-follows the pattern of relapse-remission
-typically starts in rectum and moves proximally
-no skip lesions
What is Crohns disease?
chronic transmural inflammation with skip lesions, affecting mouth to perianal area
-most commonly starts in proximal colon/ileum and then spreads unpredictably
Differentiate CD and UC.
skip areas:
-CD: common
-UC: never
transmural involvement:
-CD: common
-UC: occasional
rectal sparing:
-CD: common
-UC: never
perianal involvement:
-CD: rare
-UC: never
fistulas:
-CD: common
-UC: never
strictures:
-CD: common
-UC: occasional
granulomas:
-CD: common
-UC: occasional
When is the peak onset of IBD seen?
15-40 years old
Describe the pathophysiology of IBD.
initial trigger unknown
genetic influence plays a role
immune system creates antibodies to intestinal normal flora and food antigens; inflammatory mediators also involved
Differentiate the starting location for UC and CD.
UC: begins in rectum and spreads proximally
CD: begins anywhere then spreads unpredictably
What are the risk factors for IBD?
age and gender (15-40, male = female)
race and ethnicity (no direct link)
genetic influence
smoking
poor diet
sedentary lifestyle
obesity
stress
medications
Which medications are risk factors for IBD?
antibiotics (frequent use, esp if broad spectrum)
NSAIDs
oral contraceptives (only if genetic link and estrogen)
isotretinoin - likely not
Describe the prognosis for IBD.
mortality rates: 1.4-5x higher for CD (baseline for UC)
-primary disease is most common cause of death
-secondary infection is other leading cause
malignancy rates: 7.6% at 30yrs after diagnosis
frequent relapse (UC > CD)
lower QoL (CD > UC)
What are some complications of IBD?
colectomy
osteoporosis
hypercoagulability –> VTE
anemia
gallstones
kidney stones
ulcers
uveitis
arthritis
malnutrition and electrolyte imbalance
What are the symptoms of IBD?
abdominal pain
diarrhea
constipation
mucousy stool
bloody stool
weight loss
fever
sweats
malaise
arthralgia
Differentiate the classifications of UC.
mild:
-+1-2 stools/day over baseline
-may be streaks of blood in stool (~50% of time)
-no systemic involvement
moderate:
-+3-4 stools/day over baseline
-blood in stool most of the time
-minimal systemic involvement
severe:
-+5 stools/day over baseline
-blood in stool most of the time
-systemic toxicity begins
fulminant:
- > 6 stools/day
-systemic toxicity
-blood transfusion needed
Differentiate the classifications of CD.
mild:
-can tolerate oral intake
-no dehydration
-some abdominal pain/tenderness
- < 10% weight loss
moderate:
-unresponsive to treatment
-continuous fever, NVD, > 10% weight loss, anemia, dehydration
severe:
-sx persist despite steroid use
-obstruction, persistent vomiting, high fever
How is IBD diagnosed?
physical exam
lab exam
-stool testing
-blood tests
imaging and endoscopy (gold standard)
What are some monitoring parameters for IBD?
hemoglobin
iron indices
nutritional status
growth
BMD if increased osteoporosis risk
colonoscopy
-within 8yrs of onset, screen q1-3yrs if 2 negative results
What are the goals of treatment for IBD?
recognize disease early
induce and sustain remission with least toxic therapy
avoid complications
maintain current daily life
provide secondary care of symptoms
Which classes of medications are used for IBD?
corticosteroids
aminosalicylates
immune modifiers
-azathioprine/mercaptopurine
-biologics
What are the non-pharm treatments for IBD?
dietary
probiotics
smoking cessation
exercise
Explain the role of diet in IBD management.
bulk fiber to reduce diarrhea (25-30g/day)
reduce fat intake (except omega-3)
consider trigger foods, elimination diet
prevent malnutrition
-calcium, ADEK, zinc, magnesium, iron, B12, folic acid
What is the role of multivitamins in IBD?
useful and recommended
-monitoring and additional supplementation may be needed
Explain the role of probiotics in IBD management.
evidence lacking/conflicting (most data for UC)
looks promising; very safe
lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, saccharomyces most studied
possible benefit:
-induce remission, maintain remission, reduce diarrhea
Explain the role of smoking cessation in IBD management.
definite improvement in Crohns and relapse rates
possible risk increase in UC
Explain the role of exercise in IBD management.
50% RRR in reduction of flares
likely reduces incidence as well
What are the principles of therapy for IBD?
induce remission of acute episode
maintain remission
minimize use of steroids
What is remission in the context of IBD?
symptom free and
no inflammatory consequences and
not steroid dependent
True or false: treatment of choice are the same for UC and CD
false
What is the benefit of corticosteroids for IBD?
highly effective agents for inducing remission
Which route of administration are corticosteroids delivered in IBD?
orally for UC/CD
topical foams and enemas in UC (important option)
What are the indications for corticosteroids in UC?
topical: mild-mod UC induction
oral: mod-severe UC induction
What are the indications for corticosteroids in CD?
oral: mild-severe CD induction
budesonide: short term maintenance ( < 3 months)
What is the dosing of corticosteroids for IBD?
prednisone 40-60mg daily
budesonide:
-entocort capsules: ileal/ascending colon CD only-9mg daily
-entocort enema: distal UC only-2mg qhs
-cortiment tablets: UC only-9mg daily
hydrocortisone 10% enema/foams: UC only-qhs
How should corticosteroids be administered for IBD?
prednisone with food
topicals: lie on left side, retain contents as long as possible
What is the onset of corticosteroids for IBD?
symptom improvement as early as 2-3 days
average 2-4 weeks to see remission
What is the duration of therapy of corticosteroids for IBD induction?
use until remission:
-prednisone: ~ 4 weeks max recommended
-budesonide oral or topical: ~ 8 weeks max
taper recommended mainly due to relapse with abrupt dc
-taper budesonide as well (9-6-3-0 over 4 weeks)
-likely no need to taper budesonide enema
entocort (CD) budesonide capsules can be continued after induction for up to 3 months at 6mg/d (then taper, 6-3-0 over 2 weeks)
What is the role of switching from prednisone to budesonide in IBD?
done to reduce ADRs, HPA-axis suppression or reduce disease recurrence
max dose of 6mg budesonide
prednisone stills needs to be tapered
strongly consider also tapering budesonide when therapy complete
What are the common side effects of corticosteroids?
GI intolerance
appetite increase
nervousness/anxiety
insomnia
tremors/heart palpitations