Taking history of bloody diarrhoea
Presenting complaint
Systemic symptoms (fever, anorexia, weight loss, rash, arthralgia, aphthous ulcers)
PMHx and PSHx
Travel Hx
Meds history
FH, SHx
Examination findings for ?IBD dx
General - Pallor, nutritional status, HR / BP
Hands: arthralgia
Face: Oral ulceration / conjunctival palor
Abdomen:
- Surgical scars/stomas
- Tenderness
- Palpable mass
- Perianal disease
Legs
- Erythema nodosum / pyoderma gangrenosum
Side effects
- Steroid side effects
- Gum hypertrophy from ciclosporin
Investigating IBD
Stool MC&S, faecal calprotectin
FBC, UE, CRP, electrolytes
AXR
Flexi sig
Treatment for Crohns
Mild- moderate: oral steroids and mesalazine
Severe disease: IV steroid, IV infliximab
Maintenance therapy: oral steroids, aza, infliximab, adalimimab
Metronidazole in Crohns with orrianal infection/fistula/small bowel bacterial over growth
Nutritional support
Treatment for UC
Mild to mod: Oral or rectal steroids and mesalazine
Severe: IV steroids, IV ciclosporin
Maintainence therapy: oral steroids, mesalazine, azathioprine
Surgical management of IBD
Crohns: used for strictures, fistula or perianal disease that fails to respond to medical management
UC: emergency surgery for severe refractory disease or symptomatic relief of chronic disease or carcinoma
Complications of Crohns
Malabsorption
Anaemia
Abscess
Fistula
Obstruction
Complications of UC
Acute
Anaemia
Toxic dilatation
Perforation
Chronic
PSC
Colonic carcinoma
- higher risk in patients with pancoitis and PSC
- Patients with pan colitis for >10 years require surveillance colonoscopy 3, increasing frequency with every decade form diagnosis
Extra- intestinal manifestations of IBD
Hands:
- Finger clubbing*
- Large joint arthritis*
- Seronegative arthritis
Face
- Aphthous ulcers*
- Uveitis*
- Episcleritis*
- Iritis*
Skin
- Erythema nodosum*
- Pyoderma gangrenosum*
PSC
Systemic amyloidosis
What is dermatitis herpetiformis?
Itchy blistering rash usually in extensor surfaces secondary to an insensitivity to gliadin in gluten (hence commonly associated with coeliac disease
Diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis
Skin biopsy
Screen for coeliac disease:
FBC, iron, b12/folate, calcium
IgA TTG
Anti- endomysial antibodies - 90% coeliac pt
Small intestinal biopsy
Management of coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis
Gluten free diet + dietitian referral
Oral dapsone [controls itching before diet takes effect]
Aetiology of rhuematoid arthritis
Combination of genetic and environmental factors
Association with HLA-DR4 [4 fingers]
Association with smoking
Pathophysiology of RA
Disease exclusively of synovial joints
Inflammation of the synovial membranes due to the presence of immune complexes in these joints which leads to activation of the immune system and synovitis
Clinical presentation of RA
And classic deformaties
Symmetrical MCP, PIP and wrist joint synovitis
Joint pain, stiffness, swelling of joints and erythema
Cervical spine involvement
Characteristic dermformities:
- ulnar deviation of MCP joints
- boutnonniere deformities of fingers
- swan neck deformities
- Z deformity of thumbs
Extra articular features:
- rhuematoid nodules
- episcleritis
Diagnosis of RA
Bedside:
Urine dip and PCR
Bloods:
FBC (? Anaemia)
U&E (renal involvement and before NSAIDs)
ESR and CRP
RF (+ve in 70%)
Anti- CCP (+ve in 60%, more specific than RF)
ANA (+ve in 30%)
Radiology:
X-rays- periarticular osteopenia, symmetrical joint space loss, deformities, erosions, nodules)
Extras:
Synovial fluid - raised wcc, raised protein, low glucose
ACR/ EULAR 2011 classification criteria (>6 points)
Management of RA
MDT approach
- Disease education
- Smoking cessation
- PT / OT / Social worker
Sx - NSAIDs with stomach protection
Induce remission - Steroids
Methotrexate + DMARD
Occasionally surgery
Features associated with poor prognosis in RA
Female
Smoking
Bloods
- Rhuematoid factor or anti- CCP antibodies
- HLA-DR4
Aggressive disease
- Extra- articular features
- Early erosions
- Severe disability at presentation
Systemic manifestations of RA
Order: top -> toe
Eyes:
- Scleritis/episcleritis
Pulmonary:
- fibrosis
- effusions
- fibrosing alveolitis *
- obliterative bronchiolitis*
- caplans nodules*
Haematological:
- Feltys (RA+ splenomegaly+ neutropenia)
Renal: glomerulonephritis
Skin: palmar erythema, Raynauds*, pyoderma gangrenosum
Neurological:
- carpal tunnel syndrome
- Atlanto- axial subluxation
- peripheral neuropathy
Aetiology of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
Genetic disorder which causes abnormal expression of collagen and abnormal extra cellular matrix proteins.
There are many sub-types of EDS
- Hypermobile, classical and vascular EDS have an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern
- Kyphoscoliotic, classical-like and cardio-valvular are autosomal recessive
Clinical presentation of EDS
Joints
- Hyperflexible joints
- Joint dislocations
Skin
- Increased skin elasticity
- Bruising
- Widespread pain
Cardio
- Aortic aneurysm
- Mitral valve prolapse
Other
Blue sclera, tinnitus, hernias, prolapse
Investigation of EDS
Echo
CT (aneurysm)
Molecular genetic testing
Management of EDS
Physiotherapy
Analgesia
CBT
Genetic counselling
Cardiovascular screening
What is the Pathophysiology of sarcoidosis?
Granulomas composed of macrophages, lymphocytes, epethelioid histiocytes fuse to form a multinucleotide giant cell