Session 8 - Take a (inflammatory) bow(el) Flashcards
Give five types of inflammatory bowel disease
• Ulcerative colitis • Crohn’s disease • Diversion colitis • Diverticular colitis Radiation, drugs, infectious diseases, ischaemic colitis
What is ulcerative colitis?
• An inflammatory disorder that affects the rectum and extends proximally, in continuity (no breaks in inflammation!)
Where is the incidence of ulcerative colitis the highest?
• US, UK and northen Europe • Presents in young adults, more commonly young women
What inflammatory cells are found in the mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis?
• T helper cells, which produce transforming growth factor (TGF and IL-5)
What are the three main symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
• Rectal bleeding • Diarrhoea • Abdominal pain
What is Chrohn’s disease?
• A condition of chronic inflammation involving any location of the GI tract from mouth to anus
When are the two peaks of incidence of Chron’s disease?
• 1st at 15-30 • 2nd at 60 years
What inflammatory cells are found in the mucosa of Chron’s disease patients?
• Th1 helper cells, which produce interferon gamma and IL-2
What does the presentation of Chrohn’s disease depend on?
Diseases location
What is the presentation of Chron’s disease in someone with upper GI tract involvement?
• Nausea and vomiting • Dyspepsia • Small bowel obstruction • Anorexia, weight loss • Loose stools
What is the presentation of chron’s disease in someone with colonic diseasE?
• Diarrhoea • Passage of blood
What happens if terminal ileum is involved in Chron’s disease?
• May be pernicous anaemia due to poor absorption of B12
What is hypothesised to cause IBD (of which Chrohn’s and UC are two types)
• Genetic presdispostion • Environmental factors
What genetic factors cause IBD?
• IBD1 • NOD2/CARD15 • Having one copy of a risk allele confers 2-4 fold risk for Crohn’s • Two couples of risk allele confers 20-40 fold risk for Crohn’s
What environmental factors cause IBD?
• NSAIDs ○ Altered intestinal barrier due to decreased mucous production • Early Appendectomy ○ Increased UC incidence • Smoking ○ Protects against UC ○ Increases risk of CD
Give 6 triggers of IBD
• Antibiotics ○ Gets rid of normal flora • Diet • Acute infections • NSAIDs • Smoking ○ Increase’s risk of Crohn’s • Stress


Give six methods of investigating inflmamtory bowel disease
• Colonoscopy ○ Biopsies of involved mucosa ○ Ulceration • Stool analysis ○ Parasites ○ Clostridium difficile toxin ○ Culture • Barium radiographs • CT scan • Capsule endoscopy Plain X-Ray if bowel obstruction or perforation suspected
Outline the macroscopic changes found in Chrohn’s
• Involved bowel is usually thickened and is often narrowed • Deep ulcers and fissures in the mucosa may produce a cobblestone appearance Fistulae and abcesses may be seen
Outline the macroscopic changes found in Ulcerative Colitis
• Mucosa looks reddened, inflamed and bleeds easily • In severe disease there is extensive ulceration with the adjacent mucosa appearing as inflammatory polyps
Outline the microscopic changes found in chrohn’s
• Inflammation through all layers of the bowel (Transmural) • Increase in chronic inflammatory cells • Lymphoid hyperplasia • Granulomas (TH1 Response)
Outline the microscopic changes found in Ulcerative Colitis
• Superficial inflammation • Chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate in the lamina propria • Crypt abscesses • Goblet cell depletion
Outline three ways in which CD and UC can be separated
• Clinical • Radiological data • Histological differences seen in rectal mucosa
When is it difficult to tell difference between CD and UC?
Acute phase, tissues look very much the same