Malabsorption Flashcards
Define malabsorption.
The failure to fully absorb nutrients either because of the destruction to epithelium or due to a problem in the lumen meaning food cannot be digested
What 4 disorders of the SI can cause malabsorption?
- Coeliac disease
- Tropical Sprue
- Crohn’s Disease
- Parasite infection
Give 5 broad causes of malabsorption.
- Defective intra-luminal digestion.
- Insufficient absorptive area.
- Lack of digestive enzymes.
- Defective epithelial transport.
- Lymphatic obstruction.
Malabsorption: what can cause defective intra-luminal digestion?
- Pancreatic insufficiency due to pancreatitis, CF. There is a lack of digestive enzymes.
- Defective bile secretion due to biliary obstruction or ileal resection.
- Bacterial overgrowth.
Why can pancreatitis cause malabsorption?
Pancreatitis results in pancreatic insufficiency and so a lack of pancreatic digestive enzymes. There is defective intra-luminal digestion which leads to malabsorption.
Malabsorption: what can cause insufficient absorptive area?
- Coeliac disease.
- Crohn’s disease.
- Extensive parasitisation - Giardia lamblia
- Small intestine resection.
Malabsorption: give an example of when there is a lack of digestive enzymes.
Lactose intolerance - disaccharide enzyme deficiency.
Malabsorption: what can cause lymphatic obstruction?
- Lymphoma.
- TB.
Summarise the different conditions causing bowel malabsorption abnormalities.