Clinical GI Flashcards
(132 cards)
What are the 3 common causes of liver disease in the UK?
1) Viral hepatitis
2) Alcohol consumption
3) Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
What is viral hepatitis and what 3 common pathogens can it be caused by?
Inflammation of the liver
Can be acute or chronic
Can be caused by Hep A, B or C
What is the transmission route of Hep A?
Faecal - oral route
What is the duration and treatment of Hep A?
Most common infective agent
Short duration infection
No treatment is required - virus clears completely from body after infection - patients dont become carriers
What are the symptoms of Hep A? 2
1) Nausea and anorexia
2) Jaundice 1-2 weeks after symptoms noticed
For which hepatitis infections is a vaccination available?
Hep A and B
What are the symptoms of Hep C infection?
Asymptomatic often chronic infection
How is hep C transmitted?
Largely by blood / blood products
What are the symptoms of Hep B infection? 5
1) Nausea and anorexia
2) Jaundice
3) Fever
4) Rashes
5) Polyarthritis (pain and swelling in joints)
What is the commonest route of infection for Hep B?
Vertical
What is the treatment for Hep B infection and is it successful?
Treatment involves treating symptoms
48 weeks course pegylated interferon injections, or long term oral antiviral agents (Tenofavir)
Up to 10% continue to carry the virus and develop chronic infection which may lead to liver damage causing fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis
There is also an increased risk of hepatocellular cancer
What is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease?
Accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes which is not related to alcohol intake
What are the risk factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease? 5
1) Obesity
2) Hypertension
3) Insulin resistance
4) Type 2 DM
5) Hyperlipidaemia
NB. patients may be completely asymptomatic til have advanced liver disease such as cirrhosis
How can non-alcoholic fatty liver disease lead to cirrhosis?
Fat accumulation can be associated with inflammation (non alcoholic steatohepatitis) which may develop into fibrosis and cirrhosis
Liver disease can lead to portal hypertension, what are the symptoms of this?
Oesophageal and gastric varices, frequentlly asymptomatic and no pain is felt but they can burst and internal bleeding can lead to death
What is alcoholic liver disease?
Accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes which affects hepatocyte function
Metabolism of alcohol causes an increase in fatty acid synthesis and a decrease in fatty acid metabolism resulting in accumulation of triglycerides in liver
What is alcoholic hepatitis and how can it often present?
Inflammation due to fat accumulation in the liver which can develop after even a few weeks
This can present with jaundice and carries significant mortality
More long term use can lead to fibrosis and eventually cirrhosis
What are the common symptoms of alcoholic liver disease? 5
1) Jaundice (extra hepatic jaundice - cholestatic jaundice - obstruction by cirrhotic tissue, also intra hepatic jaundice due to failing liver)
2) Steatorrhoea (Pancreatitis = complication of cirrhosis, lack of lipase and thus fatty stools)
3) Puritis (due to build up of bilirubin and bile products in the skin - elicit a mild inflammatory response)
4) Bruising - decreased synthesis of clotting factors - poor absorption of fat soluble vitamin Vit K)
5) Low blood glucose (liver can no longer store glycogen and alcohol metabolism leads to increased NADH inhibiting gluconeogenesis)
What 4 drugs are used to treat alcohol dependence and what are there general mechanisms?
1) Chlordiaepoxide - cross tolerence with alcohol, helps reduce withdrawal symptoms
2) Disulphirum - inhibits alcohol dehydrogenase - makes feel ill if drink
3) Naltrexane - opioid re-uptake inhibitor, reduces cravings for alcohol
4) Acamprosate - Binds NMDA receptors in the brain suppressing alcohol cravings
What do LFT’s look like in liver disease?
(Albumin
total bilirubin
alkaline phosphatase
alkaline transaminase and aspartate transaminase
gamma glutamyl transferase)
Albumin - decreased - not made in diseased liver
Total bilirubin - increased - lack of conjugation and lack of excretion
Alkaline phosphatase - increased - found in bile duct cells, get bile duct damage secondary to scarring
Alkaline transaminase, aspartate transaminase - Normally found in hepatocytes, released when cells damaged (if history of long term damage, this will not be raised as cells have already been damaged - not many left to rupture)
Gamma-glutamyl transferase - induced by alcohol, early indicator of liver damage
Other than liver function tests, what other tests can be carried out to investigate alcoholic liver disease?
1) Liver biopsy
2) CT scan
3) MRI
Where along the GI tract can Crohn’s disease occur?
Anywhere from mouth to anus
Where along the GI tract can ulcerative colitis occur?
Colorectum
What is the disease distribution of Crohn’s disease?
Patchy - skip lesions