Week 12: Chp 58: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Flashcards
IBD is an umbrella term for two very similar chronic diseases of the GI tract which are?
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
Causes of IBD
exact cause is unknown but has been linked to genetic predisposition, environmental conditions, and defects in immune regulation
- the genetic predisposition may manifest as an overactive immune response to bacteria located in the GI Tract; it may then be triggered by an environmental response such as infection, medication, or smoking
- whereas the immune system usually attacks foreign invaders, in people with IBD, the immune response has an inappropriate response in the intestinal tract causing inflammation; this inflammation affects the ability to absorb nutrients resulting in diarrhea and weight loss in some patients
What is the immune system like in a patient with IBS
whereas the immune system usually attacks foreign invaders, in people with IBD, the immune response has an inappropriate response in the intestinal tract causing inflammation
-this inflammation affects the ability to absorb nutrients resulting in diarrhea and weight loss in some patients
Clinical Manifestations
IBS is chronic in nature, and the severity ranges from mild to severe, with periods of remission and exacerbations
-exacerbations often are precipitated by physical or emotional stress
Similarities of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis
persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramps, fever, weight loss, fluid imbalances, malnutrition, mouth ulcers, anemia, blood from the rectum, joint, skin, or eye irritations, and delayed growth
Extraintestinal Manifestations seen in IBD
- uveitis (intraocular inflammatory disorder)
- sclerosing cholangitis (inflammation of the hepatic ducts)
- nephrolithiasis (renal stones)
- cholelithiasis (gallstones)
- joint disorders
- skin disorders
- oral ulcerations
Patients with Crohn’s disease are at higher risk for what?
cancer of the small bowel
Patients with Ulcerative colitis have a higher risk for what?
colon cancer
What cures ulcerative colitis in the GI tract?
colectomy (removal of the large intestine)
Colectomy
removal of the large intestine
-cures ulcerative colitis
Patients with Crohn’s disease who undergo resection of diseased sections of the bowel are at increased risk of what?
reoccurrence at the sites of the anastomoses (the area where the two sections of the bowel were reattached after removal of the diseased bowel)
anastomoses
area where the two sections of the bowel were reattached after removal of the diseased bowel
Crohn’s Disease
can affect any portion of the GI tract from mouth to anus, but more common in terminal ileum and colon
-affects small bowel and malabsorption is most common in this disorder
-it is transmural, affecting all layers of the bowel
-not uniform in appearance, noted for having skip lesions with normal-appearing bowel between lesions
-the lesions cause deep ulcerations between layers of edematous tissue, creating a cobblestone appearance
-with each exacerbation, the intestine becomes more scarred, which then leads to less ability to absorb nutrients
-diarrhea is less severe than in ulcerative colitis
-stools are typically soft or semiliquid and do not usually contain blood unless there has been a perforation
-nutritional deficits arise from the inability to absorb nutrients, and electrolyte disturbances are common
-abdominal pain is usually worse in the RLQ
>no known cure for Crohn’s disease
Because Crohn’s Disease is transmural, what complications does this lead to?
it may actually penetrate the bowel wall, leading to complications such as fistulas, abscesses, and peritonitis
-strictures and adhesions are also common
Fistulas
abnormal tracts between two or more body areas
-patients with Crohn’s disease may develop anovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas
How does Crohn’s Disease Manifest?
patchy involvement throughout all layers of the bowel
-it may skip areas of the bowel and can occur anywhere in the GI tract from mouth to anus
How does Ulcerative Colitis Manifest?
begins in the rectum and proceeds in a continuous, diffuse pattern towards the cecum
-affects the large intestine
Ulcerative Colitis
affects the large intestine and involves only the mucosa and submucosa
-disease spreads uniformly beginning at the rectum and spreading upward toward the cecum
-diarrhea is common, often with more than 20 stools per day with losses of several liters of fluid per day
-blood, mucus, and pus are common with ulcerative colitis
-abdominal pain and tenderness that is worse in the LLQ
-patients may manifest tenesmus; which involves spasms of the anal sphincter and persistent desire to empty the bowel
-a lesion called a crypt abscess releases secretions that result in a purulent discharge from the bowel mucosa
-abscesses may form in ulcerated areas
-scar tissue is common, interfering with absorption of nutrients
>total colectomy is surgical cure for ulcerative colitis
Indeterminate Colitis
this is the diagnosis when healthcare providers are unable to determine if the patient has ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
Tenesmus
happens in people with ulcerative colitis
-involves spasms of the anal sphincter and persistent desire to empty the bowel
Clinical Manifestations of Ulcerative Colitis
- diarrhea
- blood, mucus, and pus in stool
- abdominal pan and tenderness in LLQ
- tenesmus
- crypt abscess releases secretions that result in purulent discharge from the bowel mucosa
- abscesses may form in ulcerated areas
- scar tissue is common, interfering with the absorption of nutrients
Crypt abscess
seen in ulcerative colitis
-a lesion that releases secretions that result in purulent discharge from the bowel mucosa
Primary Goals of Treatment
to rest the bowel and control the inflammation
-other goals are to combat infection, correct malnutrition, alleviate stress, provide symptomatic relief, and improve quality of life
What does treatments include?
medications, surgery, and correction of nutritional deficits and involve many psychosocial needs
- IBD cannot be cured with medication but, there are medications to help control the disease and treat or prevent exacerbations
- additional tests: CBC, serum electrolytes, serum albumin, and stool samples for pathogens
What is used in the diagnosis of both Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis?
colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and barium enema
Colonoscopy Findings
assist in differentiating Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease: the colonoscopy detects early mucosal changes including inflammation, stricture, and fistulae
- Ulcerative Colitis: swollen, friable bowel mucosa with multiple ulcerations
Barium Enema Findings
may provide data regarding the depth of the disease involvement
Besides a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and barium enema, what other diagnostic tests can you include?
CBC, serum electrolytes, serum albumin, and stool samples for pathogens