Small Intestinal Disorders And Investigstion

Question 1

What are the signs of coeliac disease?

Answer 1

Finger clubbing
Aphthous ulceration
Dermatitis herpetiformis

Question 2

What are the symptoms of coeliacs disease?

Answer 2

Diarrhoea (most common)
Steatorrhoea 
Bloating 
Flatulence 
Indigestion 
Constipation 
Vomiting (usually only in children) 
Fatigue 
Weight loss

Question 3

What tests can be useful when querying coeliacs disease?

Answer 3

Serology- IgA tests more reliable than IgG but a significant number of people don’t make IgA
Endoscopic biopsy of distal duodenum
HLA status

Question 4

What are sufferers of coeliac’s disease sensitive to?

Answer 4

The Gliadin fraction of gluten

Question 5

What interventions should be made in cases of coeliac’s disease?

Answer 5

Withdraw gluten

MUST refer to a state registered dietitian

Question 6

What are the possible complications of malabsorption?

Answer 6

Refractory coeliac disease
Small bowel lymphoma 
Oesophageal carcinoma 
Colon cancer 
Small bowel adenocarcinoma

Question 7

What are the possible causes of malabsorption?

Answer 7

Inflammation- coeliac, crohns
Infection- tropical, HIV, giardia lamblia
Whipples disease
Tropheryma whippelii(causative organism)