Malabsorptive conditions Flashcards
What is malabsorption
Failure to fully absorb nutrients wither because of the destruction to epithelium or due to a problem in the lumen meaning food can’t be digested
Before malabsorption is diagnosed, what needs to be ruled out
Insufficient intake must be rules out to ensure it is actually malabsorption
How can pancreatic disorders cause malabsorption
- Pancreas produce most enzymes for digestion such as amylase
- Pancreatitis damages glands meaning no enzymes are released
- Cystic fibrosis blocks pancreatic duct due to excess mucus meaning enzymes fail to be released
Name two ways defective bile secretion can result in malabsorption
- Biliary obstruction
2. Ileal resection (we reabsorb bile salts in the terminal ileum so if removes bile uptake will decrease)
What other factor causes malabsorption
Bacterial overgrowth
How does coeliac’s disease cause malabsorption
Villi are short if present at all, villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia
Lots of lymphocyte sin epithelium
How does Crohn’s cause malabsorption
- Inflammatory damage to lining of bowel = cobblestone mucosa with significant reduction in absorptive SA
What is Giardia lambda and how does it cause malabsorption
- Extensive surface parasitisation of villi and microvilli
2. Parasites coat surface of cilli and food can’t be absorbed
How does disaccharidase deficiency cause malabsorption
- Cannot break down lactose in milk into glucose which can then be absorbed. Undigested lacrosse passes into colon where bacteria eat it and produce CO2 (gas and diarrhoea)
What is abetalipoproteinaemia
Lack of transporter protein to transport lipoprotein across cell
What defective epithelial transport conditions result in malabsorption
Abetalipoproteinaemia
Primary bile acid malabsorption (Mutations in bile acid transporter protein)
What lymphatic diseases can result in malabsorption
Lymphatic obstruction
- Lymphoma
- TB
What is coeliac’s disease
Condition in which there is inflammation of the mucosa of the upper small bowel the improves when gluten is withdrawn from diet (relapses when gluten is reintroduced)
Pathophysiology of coeliac’s disease
T-cell mediated autoimmune disease of small bowel in which prolamin intolerance causes villous atrophy and malabsorption
What are prolamins
Groups of plant storage proteins
Component of gluten proteins
What prolamin are found inn wheat
Gliadin
What prolamin is found in barley
Hardens
What prolamin is found in rye
Secalins
When should you suspect Coeliac’s disease
Diarrhoea, Weight loss or Anaemia (iron or B12 deficient with no cause)
What gender does Coeliac’s effect
males and females
Causes of coeliac’s
Gluten
Risk factors for Coeliac’s
- Autoimmune dieases: Type 1, Thyroid and Sjorgren’s
- IgA deficiency
- Breast Feeding
- Age of introduction to gluten into diet
- Rotavirus infection in infancy increases risk