Malabsorption and Malnutrition Flashcards
What is malabsorption and what causes it?
- defective mucosal absorption
- caused by digestive disorders or absorption defects
What is a symptom of protein malabsorption and why?
- watery diarrhoea
- oedema
- attracts water into the lumen
symptoms of fat malabsoprtion
- steatorrhea (fatty stools)
- decrease in fat soluble vitamins
What may be the cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency?
- chronic pancreatitis
- alcohol abuse
- cystic fibrosis
What might chronic pancreatitis look like on AXR?
- Calcium deposits
What are the symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency?
- global malabsorption
- chronic diarrhea
- unintentional weightless
- bloating
Describe the symptoms of cholestasis?
- impaired bile flow
- obstructive or hepatocellular
- clay coloured stools
- skin appears yellow
What are the symptoms of lactose intolerance?
- gas and bloating
- ## diarrhoea and abdominal pain
what tests can be done to test for lactose intolerance?
- hydrogen breath test
- stool test
What causes IgA antibodies in coeliac disease?
- gliadin
Dermatitis herpetrformis may be a sign of what?
- coeliac disease
What is tropical sprue?
- bacterial overgrowth which results in absorption defects
- treat with triglycerides and folic acid
What is Whipple’s disease?
- bacteria
- foamy macrophages
- can affect joints
Easy bruising can be a sign of what?
- vitamin C or K deficiency
spooning of the nails can be a sign of what?
- iron
- thyroid
What investigations would you carry out for a malabsorption syndrome?
- FBC
- LFTs
- stool culture
- coagulation
Define malnutrition
- state of nutrition in which a deficiency, excess or imbalance or energy, protein and other nutrients causes measurable adverse effects
What are disease causing malnutrition disorders?
- decreased intake
- impaired digestion/absorption
- increased nutritional requirements
- increased nutrient losses
What are the effects of malnutrition?
- impaired immune responses
- impaired wound healing
- reduced muscle strength and fatigue
What biochemical measures should you be checking in terms of malnutrition in the elderly?
- vitamin A,C,D,E
- albumin
- zinc
What is an enteral tube feeding (ETF)
- Delivery of nutritionally complete feed via a tube into the stomach, duodenum, jejnum
What are the 3 main types of enteral feeding tubes?
- NG (nasogastric)
- NJ (Nasojejunal)
- PEG (Percutaneous endoscopi gastrostomy
What are some features of refeeding syndrome?
- hypokalaemia
- hypophosphataemia
- hypomagnesaemia
- fluid overload
- arryhtmias
- sezures
- death
How should you prevent refeeding syndrome?
- introduce nutrition support at a 50% maximum for the first 48 hours
- monitor clinical and biochemical parameters
What screening tool should you use in malnutrition?
- MUST
- Malnutrition, Universal Screening tool
- BMI, Weight loss, acute disease
