Inflammatory Bowel Disease Flashcards
What are inflammatory bowel diseases?
What are the 2 types?
Chronic relapsing and remitting inflammatory disorders of unknown aetiology
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
What age group tends to be affected by IBD?
What is the cure?
Tends to affect people aged 15-40
There is no cure for Crohn’s disease but ulcerative colitis can be cured by surgical removal of the colon
What parts of the body are affected by ulcerative colitis?
It is restricted to the colon and the rectum
What parts of the body are affected by Crohn’s disease?
It can affect anywhere from the mouth to anus
The majority of cases start in the terminal ileum
What are the 2 main complications of Crohn’s disease that are difficult to treat?
- perianal disease
2. fistulation
What is meant by oral tolerance?
This is the suppression of immune responses to antigens that have previously been administered via the oral route
e.g. harmless antigens in food
How does IBD occur?
If there is an immune response to a harmless antigen, this can lead to chronic activation of the immune system
This leads to chronic inflammation
There is a failure to maintain oral tolerance
What is increased susceptibility to Crohn’s disease associated with?
Mutations in the NOD2 gene
This is involved in intracellular processing of bacterial antigens
What is increased susceptibility to BOTH ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease associated with?
Polymorphisms in IL-23
This is involved in regulation of Th-1 and Th-17 cell differentitation
What are the exogenous triggers of IBD?
Environmental factors, such as commensal bacteria and their products
What is the largest independent risk factor for IBD?
A positive family history
Why can fistulae only happen in Crohn’s disease?
The inflammation is transmural
This means that is passes through all 3 layers of bowel lining
In ulcerative colitis, what is:
i. histology
ii. smoking
iii. surgery
iv. recurrence after surgery
i. confined to the mucosa/sub-mucosa
ii. improves condition
iii. pan-proctocolectomy +/- pouch
iv. no
IN Crohn’s disease, what is:
i. histology
ii. smoking
iii. surgery
iv. recurrence after surgery
i. transmural
ii. worsens condition
iii. depends on distribution
iv. common
What is the most common extraintestinal manifestation of IBD?
Stricturing (often of the bile ducts)
This involves narrowing of the GI tract due to development of scar tissue
What are the musculoskeletal EIMs of IBD?
- peripheral arthritis
- sacroilitis
- ankylosing spondylitis
- osteoporosis
What are the dermatological EIMs of IBD?
- erythema nodosum
- pyoderma gangrenosum
- aphthous stomatitis
- sweet syndrome
- cutaneous Crohn’s
What are the 6 steps involved in diagnosing IBD?
- taking a history
- physical examination (tender abdomen)
- basic tests for anaemia and markers of inflammation
- endoscopic tests
- radiological tests
- confirming the pathology using biopsies
What test is used to look for markers of inflammation?
The main marker of inflammation is C-reactive protein (CRP)
What other test is performed to look for markers of inflammation in IBD?
Stool tests for calprotectin
This is released from the cytoplasm of neutrophils and is elevated in inflammation
What types of endoscopic tests are performed when diagnosing IBD?
- sigmoidoscopy
- colonoscopy
- gastroscopy
This involves taking biopsies
What is a capsule endoscopy?
The patient swallows a capsule which takes a continuous video as it passes through the GI tract
What radiological tests are used in diagnosing IBD?
- barium studies
- CT
- MRI
What are the 3 types of ulcerative colitis and what parts of the colon do they affect?
- proctitis - only affects the rectum
- left-sided colitis - affects the rectum and descending colon
- pan-colitis - affects the entire colon
What are the 5 symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
- diarrhoea with mucous + blood
- urgency
- weight loss
- abdominal pain/cramps
- nocturnal symptoms
What are the clinical signs of ulcerative colitis?
- tender abdomen
- tachycardia
- pyrexia (fever)
- extra-intestinal manifestations
How can an abnormal colon be seen on an X-ray?
What is the fear associated with this?
The colon is distended
Haustral folds are not visible - it looks smooth
When the colon is distended, there is fear of perforation
What types of features may be seen on a endoscopy for ulcerative colitis?
- granular mucosa
- spontaneous bleeding
- deep ulcers
Where is inflammation found in ulcerative colitis?
What may develop as a result of inflammation?
Inflammation is confined to the colon
Inflammation is continuous and affects only the mucosa and submucosa
Pseudo-polyps may develop
What may a barium enema show in an ulcerative colitis patient?
- mucosal thickening
- areas of mucosal loss
- visible ulcers
(particularly in the descending colon where they have a typical undercut edge)