Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Flashcards
what are examples of inflammatory bowel diseases?
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
what sex is more likely to experience Crohn’s disease?
males > females
what sex is more likely to experience ulcerative colitis?
females > males
what is the aetiology of inflammatory bowel diseases?
- food intolerance
- persisting viral infection/immune activation
- smoking
- genetic
where does Crohn’s disease typically affect?
- large intestine
- ileum of small intestine
- mouth
where does ulcerative colitis typically affect?
the large intestine
what are some differences between Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative Colitis:
- continuous disease
- mucosa is granulated and ulcers present
- very vascular
- serosa normal
Crohn’s Disease:
- discontinuous disease
- mucosa is cobbled and fissures present
- non-vascular (affects the whole wall)
- serosa inflamed
in what disease is the rectum ALWAYS involved?
ulcerative colitis
in what disease are anal fissures more present?
Crohn’s disease
why does the cobblestone appearance occur in Crohn’s disease?
- linear ulceration and oedema between the fibrous bands
explain the intestine of a patient suffering from Crohn’s disease:
- narrowed lumen
- thickened wall
- cobblestone appearance
- abscess may be present
how does ulcerative colitis affect the wall of the large intestine?
only affects the MUCOSAL LAYER (very superficial)
what are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
- diarrhoea (or bowel movement changes)
- abdominal pain
- PR bleeding (rectal bleeding)
what are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?
- same colonic symptoms as UC
small bowel disease symptoms:
- pain
- malabsorption
what investigations are commonly used in patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease?
- blood tests (anaemia, CRP, ESR)
- faecal calprotectin
- endoscopy
- leukocyte scan
- bullet endoscopy
- barium studies
