Coeliac's Disease Flashcards Preview

Gastrointestinal > Coeliac's Disease > Flashcards

Flashcards in Coeliac's Disease Deck (11)
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1
Q

def

A

inflammatory disease caused by intolerance to gluten, causing chronic intestinal malabsorption

2
Q

aetiology

A

sensitivity to gliadin component of gluten

triggers an immune response in small intesting leading to mucosal damage & loss of villi

3
Q

what haplotypes show genetic susceptibility for coeliacs disease

A

HLA-88
DR3
DQW2

4
Q

epi

A

1 in 2000 prevalence in UK

more common in ireland

5
Q

history

A
may be asymptomatic
abdominal pain & distension
steatorrhoea or diarrhoea
weight loss despite normal diet
failure to thrive in children
amenorrhoea in young adults
6
Q

what is steatorrhoea

A

fat in stool
pale bulky stool
offensive smell

7
Q

examination

A

1 signs of anaemia (pallor)
2 signs of malnutrition (short stature, abdominal distension, wasted buttocks in children)
3 signs of vitamin/mineral deficiencies (osteomalacia, easy bruising)
4 dermatitis herpetiformis (itchy blisters on elbows/knees/buttocks)

8
Q

investigations

A

1 bloods
-FBC (low Hb)
-microcytic RBCs (low iron)
2 serology
-IgG anti-gliadin (AGA), IgA & IgG anti-endomysial transglutaminase can be diagnostic
3 stool
-culture to exclude infection
4 D-xylose test
-reduced urinary excretion after an oral xylose load indicates small bowel malabsorption
5 endoscopy
-shows villous atrophy especially in the jejunum & ileum, which gives a flat smooth appearance
-biopsy shows villous atrophy with crypt hyperplasia of the duodenum
-epithelium has a cuboidal appearance

9
Q

management

A
advice
-avoid gluten (wheat, rye, barley)
medical
-vitamin & mineral supplementation
-oral corticosteroids if disease does not subside with gluten withdrawal
10
Q

complications

A

iron, folate, vitB12 deficiency
osteomalacia
ulcerative jejunoileitis
GI lymphoma (particularly T cell)

11
Q

prognosis

A

complete avoidance of gluten (for life) usually leads to full recovery
symptoms resolve rapidly, histological changes take longer