Life Maintenance Flashcards
List some water soluble micronutrients?
Vitamins B & C
What are vitamins used for specifically?
Used as cofactors in metabolism
List some fat soluble micronutrients
Vits ADEK
How do we calculate total energy expenditure?
Total energy expenditure = BMR + diet induced thermogenesis + activity +/- stress (illness/inflammation/surgery)
TEE = BMR + DIT + activity (+stress)
Why do we not use ferritin alone to determine Fe deficiency?
Is also an acute phase protein, so concentrations increase during inflammation
This is why we use iron binding studies & do not just rely on one test
What are direct & indirect calorimetry?
Direct - measure heat produced by person in sealed chamber
Indirect - estimates heat production by comparing O2 & CO2
What things affect nutrient requirements?
Age, gender, body size, level of physical activity, state of health, physiological status (pregnancy & lactation), growth
What are the different dietary reference values?
Estimated avg requirement (EAR)
Reference nutrient intake (RNI)
Lower reference nutrient intake (LRNI)
Safe intake (SI)
LRNI & RNI are two SDs from mean in either diection
What is EAR (nutrition)?
ESTIMATED AVG REQUIREME
- An estimate of average requirement for energy, or a nutrient
- Approximately 50% of the population will need less & 50% will need more
- EAR is used for energy
What is RNI (nutrition)?
Recommended nutrient intake
- Amount of a nutrient that is enough to ensure that needs of nearly all population (97.5%, 2 x standard deviations) are being met
- Many within the group will need less
- Only 2.5% of group will need more
- Often used as a reference amoutn for population groups
- Used for protein, vitamins & minerals
What are some issues with dietary reference values?
- Bioavailability
- DRVs do take standard (usually low) bioavailability into account, but other things can affect it, e.g. tannin in tea inhibits Fe absorption
- Assumes that requirements for other nutrients are met
- Differences in DRVs between countries
- Based on best available evidence
- Reflect needs of healthy people only
What are the general causes of nutrient deficiencies, with examples?
- Inadequate intake
- E.g. Reduced appetite, poor availability of food
- Reduced absorption
- E.g. Coeliac disease
- Increased losses
- E.g. diarrhoea, vomiting
- Increased demand
- E.g. growth, pregnancy
What occurs in severe vitamin A deficiency?
Increased risk of infection, xeropthalmia (blinding or non blinding)
Where are cardbohydrates and protein absorbed in the GI tract?
Carbohydrates & protein absorption mostly in duodenum & jejunum
Where are fats absorbed in the GI tract?
Ileum - fat absorption bound to bile, & fat-soluble minerals
Where in the GI system is vitamin B12 absorbed?
In the terminal ileum, bound ti intrinsic factor
Where in the GI system are fluids & potassium absorbed?
Ileum & colon
What is the basic structure of the GI tract?
Oesophagus - Stomach - Duodenum - Jejunum - Ileum - large intestine - colon
List the main roles of the liver
Synthesis, composition & excretion of bile
Synthesis of clotting factors & their actions
Plasma protein production
Metabolism & excretion of bilirubin
Metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, & nitrogen
Drug metabolism
Detoxification
What are the two main types of cell in the liver, and their functions?
Hepatocytes (60%) - perform most metabolic functions
Kupffer cells - type of tissue macrophage, clears gut-derived endotoxins from blood
Outline the hepatic lobule
Hepatic lobule = functional unit of the liver.
Hexagonal plate of hepatocytes around central hepatic vein.
At each of 6x corners is triad of branches - portal vein, hepatic artery and bile duct (bile duct travels outwards)
https://www.notion.so/Overview-of-the-liver-87a2210eed8b4f9aa3b1c3c9b12da349#aca6502028214d599782ac5de1af5abc
What are the functions of bile?
Emulsifies fats to allow absorption
Neutralises gastric juice in S intestine
Eliminates waste products from blood (esp bilirubin & cholesterol)
Outline how bile is secreted
- Hepatocytes secrete bile salts, cholesterol & others
- Epithelial cells lining bile ducts secrete watery solution of Na & HCO3
(Stimulated by hormone secretin in response to acid in duodenum)
How is bile synthesised?
The liver synthesises primary bile acids from cholesterol. Then p.acids conjugated with glycine & taurine (3:1) = bile salts
Bile salts transported against concentration gradient from sinusoidal blood into bile canniculae
What hormone stimulates release of bile from the Gallbladder? What stimulates this hormones release?
Cholecystokinin - in response to presence of fat in duodenum
What are the two types of gallstones?
What are some risk factors?
Cholesterol (80%)
Pigment (20%)
RFs: High fat diet; inflammation of gallbladder epithelium; women (oestrogen in pregnancy, HRT)
What are the main functions of albumin, and where is it produced?
Produced in the liver - as are majority of plasma proteins
Functions - all purpose carrier (fatty acids, hormones, drugs) & is an osmotic regulator
How is haemoglobin broken down?
- Hb broken down into globin & haem
- Heme is converted to biliverdin & then free bilirubin, bilirubin bound to albumin & taken to liver
- Liver then conjugates it with glucoronic acid
- Conjugated bilirubin excreted into bile
- Converted by gut bacteria into urobilinogen → 20% reabsorbed, 80% excreted as stercobillinogen → stercobilin
Stercobilin is major metabolite in faeces - brown colour
In urine, yellow urobilinogen
How does the liver control fat metabolism?
1) triglycerides oxidised in hepatocytes to produce energy
2) lipoproteins synthesised in liver
3) Excess carbohydrates & proteins are converted into FAs & TGs - stored in adipose
4) Synthesis of cholesterol & phospholipids
How does the liver control nitrogen metabolism?
Regulates blood levels of amino acids based on tissues need to protein synthesis
Degrades excess amino acids (mostly in gluconeogenesis)
Transamination of amino acids to non-essential amino acids
Synthesis of urea - removal of ammonia
What key micronutrients are stored in the liver?
fat soluble vitamins - ADEK
Stores B12, enough to last 2-3 years
Folate & ferritin
How does the liver remove toxins from the blood?
- Phase 1 - primary oxidation/reduction - occurs in smooth ER, catalysed primarily by family of cytochrome P450 enzyme - makes substrate into polar compound
- Phase 2 - conjugation - makes more water soluble to be eliminated
Outline what occurs in the liver in paracetamol overdose
P450 clearance needs glutathione - once this runs out, toxic metabolite NAPQ1 accumulates, binding to hepatic proteins, causes cellular stress, & extensive hepatic necrosis
Outline the clinical features & treatments of a paracetamol overdose, at 0-24h, 24-72h, 72-96h
0-24h, preclinical - general malaise, nausea & vomiting, abdo pain, possibly normal LFTs
24-72h, hepatotoxicity - AST & ALT may increase, & bilirubin
72-96h - hepatic failure with encephalopathy - LFT peaks, jaundice, vomiting & GI upset, clinical signs & symptoms of liver faulure, metabolic acidosis
> 96 - multiorgan failure & death
Activated charcoal at 0-4h, NAC after 8h
What happens to alcohol after it is ingested? How can excess alcohol cause damage?
Ethanol is broken down in hepatocyte cytosol to acetoaldehyde, which is then converted to acetate by ALDH2. Acetate passes into circulation
Acetoaldehyde causes damage by covalently binding to biomolecules (large scale - hepatitis)
What are some consequences of malnutrition?
- Immune system less functional
- Impaired wound healing
- Loss of muscle mass
- Falls, PUs, chest infection, heart failure
- Kidneys - over hydration or dehydration
- Reproduction - reduces fertility
- Brain - apathy, depression
- Impaired temperature regulation - hypothermia
- Micronutrient deficiencies
- Anaemia, rickets, scurvy, night blindness
How are patients screened for malnutrition?
- Malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST)
- BMI score + weight loss score + acute disease effect score
- Subjective global assessment (SGA)
- Used by Drs rather than nurses
- More detailed, but also subjective
What are some anthropometry options for pts difficult to weigh & speak to?
Protein status
- Mid arm muscle circumference (MAMC)
- Hand grip strength
Fat stores
- Waist circumference
- Tricep skinfold thickness
Describe the metabolic response of the body to injury (NUTRITION-wise)
- EBB/shock (hours)
- energy reserves mobilised, but body struggles to utilise
- BMR & body temp decreases - Flow/catabolism (days)
- breakdown of energy stores
- Increased BMR & body temp
- Acute insulin resistance
- Visceral & SK muscle breakdown - Recover/anabolism (weeks)
- Building up energy stores
- Nutritional therapy aims to increase protein synthesis & restore lean body mass
What are the characteristics of acute liver failure?
- Rapid onset
- Severe liver failure with hepatocyte necrosis
- Diminished hepatic funct
- Coagulopathy (INR>1.5)
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- No preexisting liver disease
What are the characteristics of chronic liver failure?
- Chronic injury leading to chronic inflammation
- Extensive fibrosis
- Fibrosis still reversible to some degree
- Can still have normal function even in cirrhosis
- Presence of regenerative nodules
What are the classifications of acute liver failure?
Values are time from jaundice to encephalopathy.
Hyperacute - <7days (v high risk of cerebral oedema)
Acute - 8-28 days (high risk)
Subacute - 5-12 weeks (low)
What are some signs of acute liver failure?
Hypoglycaemia, lactic acidosis, hyperammonaemia, coagulopathy (all related directly to liver dysfunction)
What are some causes of acute & chronic liver failure?
Viral hepatitis - hepatitis ABCE, herpes, CMV, EBV
Autoimmune hepatitis
Wilsons disease (excess copper, genetic)
Drugs
Alcohol
What are the characteristics of hepatic encephalopathy?
- Brain dysfunction/altered mentation (mental activity)
- Caused by liver insufficiency (or portosystemic shunting)
- Spectrum of neurological & psychiatric manifestations
- Reversible
What is the mechanism that causes hepatic encephalopathy?
(very complex and multifactorial, but…)Increased ammonia main thing → increased astrocyte glutamine → osmotic swelling of astroyctes → brain oedema
- Acute liver failure - Happens over short period, often fatal
- Cirrhosis - longer period, reversible
How does portal hypertension arise from cirrhosis, and what complications can occur?
High resistance in liver → portal HT → dilated splanchnic veins
- Problems include thrombosis, splenomegaly, ascites, varices
What are some assessments that can be used for cirrhosis?
D’amico classification - prognosis
Child Pugh score - severity
UKELD score - prognosis for transplant
How are oesophageal varices treated?
Band ligation during OGD
What are the types of pain?
Somatic
- MSK, cutaneous, often well localised
Visceral
- Hollow organs & smooth muscle, usually referred
- Poorly localised
- No dedicated sensory pathway in brain for viscera
Neuropathic
- Pain initiated or caused by a primary lesion or disease in the somatosensory nervous system
What would indicate that abdominal pain is somatic (rather than visceral)?
- Constant, can be sharp & momentary with movement or straining
- Well localised
- Unaffected by food, defaecation
What are the three possible diagnoses from an upper GI endoscopy for GORD?
Erosive reflux disease 20-30%
NERD 60-70%
Barrett’s 5-10%
What is meant by ‘exaggerated oesophago-bronchial reflex?’
Same spinal root for upper GI as lungs & trachea - pain in one can cause response in other, e.g. coughing from heartburn
Fun fact - they used to think this was caused by acid going up and into lungs
How can pH further diagnose non-erosive reflux disease?
pH testing can diagnose functional heartburn (50% of time is NERD)
Other 50% is called ‘functional heartburn’ - symptoms but no change in pH
This is either hypersensitive eosophagus or just functional heartburn
What causes and what helps delayed gastric emptying?
Often occurs in dysmobility-type dyspepsia.
Pro-kinetic drugs help
How is IBS defined?
Rome IV
Recurrent abdominal pain, on avg >1/week in last 3 months, associated with 2+ of following:
- Related to defacation
- Associated with a change in frequency of stool
- Assoc with change in form of stool
How can IBS be classified?
IBS-C - with constipation
IBS-M - mixed
IBS-D - with diarrhoea
What are some causes of constipation?
What are the two types?
Low fibre diet, medications (e.g. opiates), hypercalcaemia, hypothyroidism
Colonic inertia, or pelvic floor dysnergia (pelvic muscles dont relax with defaecation)
What are some treatments and lifestyle advice for constipation?
Osmotic laxatives - macrogol (avoid lactulose, non-soluble)
Stimulant - senna, sodium picosulfate
Stool softeners
Avoid caffeine, fat, lactose, wheat, gas producing foods. Have regular, small meals
What are some causes of fatty liver disease?
Obesity, DM, malnutrition
When is a liver tumour likely to be metastatic?
In non-cirrhotic liver, 90% of tumours are metastatic
In cirrhotic livers, 90% are primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
What does high GGT indicate?
Increased drug metabolism or biliary obstruction
What does high ALT & ALP indicate?
ALT - Liver cell death (>10-fold rise)
ALP - cholestasis (>10 fold rise)
10 fold rise with 3 fold rise of the other
List the cell types found in the anterior pituitary gland, what hormones they produce, and what the functions of the hormones are
Gonadotroph → LH & FSH (reproductive control)
Lactotroph → prolactin (+breast milk production)
Somatotroph → GH (+growth)
Corticotroph → ACTH (regulation of adrenal cortex)
Thyrotroph → TSH (thyroid hormone regulation)
What is the location of the pituitary gland?
Below brain in the Sella Turnica. In line with eyebrows.
What is the pituitary gland derived from (embryology)?
Roof of embryonic oropharynx - Rathke’s pouch
List the cell types found in the posterior pituitary gland, what hormones they produce, and what the functions of the hormones are
Trick question - the posterior pituitary does not produce hormones, but stores and releases hypothalmic hormones.
ADH - water control
Oxytoxin - mood & lactation
What are the main syndromes of hormone excess, and what hormone is each associated with?
GH - acromegaly
ACTH - Cushings
TSH - secondary thyrotoxicosis
LH/FSH - non functioning tumour
PRL - prolactinoma
What are the main effects of GH excess?
Acral enlargement, macroglossia, spade like hands
Increased skin thickness & sweating, + skin tags.
Metabolic changes, including diabetes.
What are the actions of cortisol?
⬆️ Plasma glucose levels
- +Gluconeogenesis, +glycogenolysis, +glycogen storage
⬆️ Lipolysis
Proteins are catabolised
Anti-inflammatory
Increased gastric acid production
What are the main effects of cortisol excess?
Cushings syndrome
Changes in fat & protein metabolism - change in body shape (central obesity, moon face, buffalo hump), ecchymosis, osteoperosis
Changes in sex hormones (excess hair growth, irregular periods
Na & H2O retention (high BP & fluid retention)
What are the main features of PRL excess? How is it treated?
Sexual - infertility, impotence, amenorrhea/oligomenorrhea
Galactorrhea
Treated with a dopamine agonist (inhibits prolactin release)
How are pituitary adenomas treated?
Surgery - transsphenoidal
Chemo (slow)
Drugs (block hormone production/release)
What are the main issues with measuring body fat using BMI?
Does not distinguish between muscle & fat - we lose muscle mass as we age
Cannot determine where fat is stored (visceral vs subcutaneous)
- Visceral fat (within abdominal cavity surrounding vital organs) strongly associated with chronic disease risk
Associations between obesity & health risks are different in older populations (older populations being overweight =/= risk of mortality (but does for obesity))
Differs for ethnic groups
How can you differentiate between acid-peptic pain & intestinal pain?
Acid-peptic - burning or dull (mild or moderately severe)
Intestinal pain - colicky, very severe
What symptoms are associated with biliary issues?
Dark urine, pale stools, jaundice
List some causes of upper abdominal pain
GORD, functional dyspepsia, ulcer, cancer, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis, IBS, more