Malabsorption

Question 1

What is malabsorption?

Answer 1

defective mucosal absorption caused by defective luminal digestion, mucosal disease, structural disorders

Question 2

What causes malabsorption?

Answer 2

coeliac disease
Crohn’s disease
post infectious
biliary obstruction
cirrhosis

Question 3

What is the most common mineral deficiency?

Answer 3

iron

Question 4

Describe Tropical Sprue? Treatment? Signs?

Answer 4

colonisation of the intestine by an infectious agent
Treatment: tetracycline + folic acid
Signs: diarrhoea, weight loss, anorexia, steatorrhea

Question 5

Describe Whipples Disease? Treatment? Signs?

Answer 5

tropheryma whipplei – increases the frequency of HLA-B27

Treatment: antimicrobial

Question 6

What is the treatment for Crohn’s?

Answer 6

steroids
immunosuppresants
azathioprine 6-MP
anti TNF therapy

Question 7

Describe Small bowel bacterial overgrowth? Treatment? Signs?

Answer 7

diarrhoea, steatorrhea, macrocytic anaemia – E.coli or bacteroides.
Lab: low cobalamin and high folate levels
Treatment: surgical correction of anatomical blind loop