GASTROINTESTINAL MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: Gastrointestinal complications are common in SLE. ORAL CAVITY : Mucous membrane involvement occurs in 12-45 %of patients with SLE.Oral or nasopharyngeal ulceration are usually painless and is one of the eleven diagnostic criteria of SLE.The ulcers are discoid or ulcerative DISCOID lesions are painful,characterized by erythema,atrophy and depigmentation and usually occurs on lips. ULCERS are punched out erosions with surrounding erythema,irregularly shaped raised white plaques tend to occur on hard or soft palate and buccal mucosa.These are usually painless. TREATMENT of oral lesions: *Topical glucocorticoids. *Tacrolimus ointment. *Intralesional corticosteroids. *Systemic antimalarial drugs. OESOPHAGUS : DYSPHAGIA,DYSMOTILITY,VASCULITIS, ISCHEMIA,ULCERATION,PERFORATION. DYSPHAGIA:Dysphagia occurs due to SLE or to complications associated with therapy such as pill oesophagitis and oral candidiasis DYSMOTILITY :Hypotensive LES(lower esophageal sphincter) and aperistalysis are documented by manometry. VASCULITIS-ISCHEMIA-ULCERATION- PERFORATION :Ischemia from vasculitis can lead to esophageal ulceration and perforation. TREATMENT : *Hypomotility is treated with metaclopramide. *GERD symptoms are treated with routine GERD precautions and proton pump inhibitors. *Immunomodulatory agents are used for treating SLE,but they can cause opportunistic oesophagitis from candidiasis,cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus. STOMACH &DUODENUM : DYSPEPSIA,PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE AND GASTRIC ANTRAL VASCULAR ECTASIA (GAVE) DYSPEPSIA is due to treatment with NSAID's or corticosteroids. PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE is also due to NSAID's and corticosteroids.Therefore prophylactic therapy for peptic ulcer is beneficial in SLE patients with dyspepsia,history of peptic ulcer disease,and on therapy with NSAID's and corticosteroids. GAVE :GAVE is an erosive type of atrophic gastritis characterized by marked veno-capillary ectasia.This causes chronic gastro- intestinal bleeding or irondeficiencyanemia. Dilated small blood vessels cause streaky long red areas that resemble the markings on watermelon when viewed endoscopically SO CALLED AS WATERMELON STOMACH. SMALL &LARGE BOWEL : ABDOMINAL PAIN,GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING,DYSMOTILITY,DIARRHEA,PROTEIN LOOSING ENTEROPATHY ,PNEUMATOSIS CYSTOIDES INTESTINALIS ,RECTAL ULCERS, STEATORRHOEA,PANCREATITIS, ACALCULUS CHOLECYSTITIS : ABDOMINAL PAIN : can be caused by mesenteric vasculitis and infarction,acalculous cholecystitis,peptic ulcer disease and pancreatitis. IINTESTINAL VASCULITIS. causes transmural inflammation with fibrinoid necrosis.It is most commonly found in terminal ileum and cecum where the blood supply is from superior mesenteric artery.Endoscopically,the bowel appears thickened and friable with ulceration and submucosal hemorrhages. COLON focal /diffuse ulcers,ischemic colitis or colonic diverticula. PROTEIN LOOSING ENTEROPATHY (PLE) This is characterized by significant hypo- albuminenia and diarrhea without proteinuria These are a result of villous atrophy with inflammatory. infiltrates and submucosal edema.Disease activity is measured by monitoring fecal excretion of radiolabelled albumin. PNEUMATOSIS CYSTOIDES INTESTINALIS PCI is gas filled cysts in the submucosa or subserosa of bowel wall.This radiological sign is suggestive of necrotising enterocolitis STEATORRHEA :occurs secondary to villus blunting and immune complex deposition.
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Oral thrush and skin lesion after Azithromycin... DD please?
Dr. Gaurav Chhaya3 Likes20 Answers - Login to View the image
35 years old female suffering from recurrent painless nonitchy swelling for last 5 years. No h/o respiratory distress. No family history of such lesions. She is a known Hypertensive and for that she is on Telmisertan 40 mg/day. Patient has been treated with Levocetirizine 10mg twice a day for six months and Monteleukast 10 mg at night for six months, but no relief. Only responding to short courses of systematic Steroid 2 mg /kg with tapering dose. 1). Diagnosis 2). D/D 3). Investigations 4). Management. Please give your answers in chronological order.
Dr. Sankar Kumar Das9 Likes18 Answers - Login to View the image
a 51 year-old female with dysphagia and shortness of breath. What's the most likely diagnosis?
Dr. Ved Srivastava1 Like10 Answers - Login to View the image
Autoimmune Diseases: Types, Symptoms, Causes and More........Check it Out...! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- What is an autoimmune disease? An autoimmune disease is a condition in which your immune system mistakenly attacks your body. The immune system normally guards against germs like bacteria and viruses. When it senses these foreign invaders, it sends out an army of fighter cells to attack them. Normally, the immune system can tell the difference between foreign cells and your own cells. In an autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakes part of your body — like your joints or skin — as foreign. It releases proteins called autoantibodies that attack healthy cells. Some autoimmune diseases target only one organ. Type 1 diabetes damages the pancreas. Other diseases, like lupus, affect the whole body. CAUSES Why does the immune system attack the body? Doctors don’t know what causes the immune system misfire. Yet some people are more likely to get an autoimmune disease than others. Women get autoimmune diseases at a rate of about 2 to 1 compared to men — 6.4 percent of women vs. 2.7 percent of men . Often the disease starts during a woman’s childbearing years (ages 14 to 44). Some autoimmune diseases are more common in certain ethnic groups. For example, lupus affects more African-American and Hispanic people than Caucasians. Certain autoimmune diseases, like multiple sclerosis and lupus, run in families. Not every family member will necessarily have the same disease, but they inherit a susceptibility to an autoimmune condition. Because the incidence of autoimmune diseases is rising, researchers suspect environmental factors like infections and exposures to chemicals or solvents might also be involved . A “Western” diet is another suspected trigger. Eating high-fat, high-sugar, and highly processed foods is linked to inflammation, which might set off an immune response. However, this hasn’t been proven . Another theory is called the hygiene hypothesis. Because of vaccines and antiseptics, children today aren’t exposed to as many germs as they were in the past. The lack of exposure could make their immune system overreact to harmless substances . BOTTOM LINE: Researchers don’t know exactly what causes autoimmune diseases. Diet, infections, and exposure to chemicals might be involved. COMMON AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES 14 common autoimmune diseases There are more than 80 different autoimmune diseases . Here are 14 of the most common ones. 1. Type 1 diabetes The pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. High blood sugar can damage blood vessels, as well as organs like the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. 2. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system attacks the joints. This attack causes redness, warmth, soreness, and stiffness in the joints. Unlike osteoarthritis, which affects people as they get older, RA can start as early as your 30s . 3. Psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis Skin cells normally grow and then shed when they’re no longer needed. Psoriasis causes skin cells to multiply too quickly. The extra cells build up and form red, scaly patches called scales or plaques on the skin. About 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop swelling, stiffness, and pain in their joints . This form of the disease is called psoriatic arthritis. 4. Multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) damages the myelin sheath — the protective coating that surrounds nerve cells. Damage to the myelin sheath affects the transmission of messages between your brain and body. This damage can lead to symptoms like numbness, weakness, balance issues, and trouble walking. The disease comes in several forms, which progress at different rates. About 50 percent of people with MS need help walking within 15 years after getting the disease. 5. Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) Although doctors in the 1800s first described lupus as a skin disease because of the rash it produces, it actually affects many organs, including the joints, kidneys, brain, and heart . Joint pain, fatigue, and rashes are among the most common symptoms. 6. Inflammatory bowel disease Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term used to describe conditions that cause inflammation in the lining of the intestines. Each type of IBD affects a different part of the GI tract. Crohn’s disease can inflame any part of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus. Ulcerative colitis affects only the lining of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. 7. Addison’s disease Addison’s disease affects the adrenal glands, which produce the hormones cortisol and aldosterone. Having too little of these hormones can affect the way the body uses and stores carbohydrates and sugar. Symptoms include weakness, fatigue, weight loss, and low blood sugar. 8. Graves’ disease Graves’ disease attacks the thyroid gland in the neck, causing it to produce too much of its hormones. Thyroid hormones control the body’s energy usage, or metabolism. Having too much of these hormones revs up your body’s activities, causing symptoms like nervousness, a fast heartbeat, heat intolerance, and weight loss. One common symptom of this disease is bulging eyes, called exophthalmos. It affects up to 50 percent of people with Graves’ disease . 9. Sjögren’s syndrome This condition attacks the joints, as well as glands that provide lubrication to the eyes and mouth. The hallmark symptoms of Sjögren’s syndrome are joint pain, dry eyes, and dry mouth. 10. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis In Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroid hormone production slows. Symptoms include weight gain, sensitivity to cold, fatigue, hair loss, and swelling of the thyroid (goiter). 11. Myasthenia gravis Myasthenia gravis affects nerves that help the brain control the muscles. When these nerves are impaired, signals can’t direct the muscles to move. The most common symptom is muscle weakness that gets worse with activity and improves with rest. Often muscles that control swallowing and facial movements are involved. 12. Vasculitis Vasculitis happens when the immune system attacks blood vessels. The inflammation that results narrows the arteries and veins, allowing less blood to flow through them. 13. Pernicious anemia This condition affects a protein called intrinsic factor that helps the intestines absorb vitamin B-12 from food. Without this vitamin, the body can’t make enough red blood cells. Pernicious anemia is more common in older adults. It affects 0.1 percent of people in general, but nearly 2 percent of people over age 60 . 14. Celiac disease People with celiac disease can’t eat foods containing gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye, and other grain products. When gluten is in the intestine, the immune system attacks it and causes inflammation. Celiac disease affects about 1 percent of people in the United States . A larger number of people have gluten sensitivity, which isn’t an autoimmune disease, but can have similar symptoms like diarrhea and abdominal pain. SYMPTOMS Autoimmune disease symptoms The early symptoms of many autoimmune diseases are very similar, such as: fatigue achy muscles swelling and redness low-grade fever trouble concentrating numbness and tingling in the hands and feet hair loss skin rashes Individual diseases can also have their own unique symptoms. For example, type 1 diabetes causes extreme thirst, weight loss, and fatigue. IBD causes belly pain, bloating, and diarrhea. With autoimmune diseases like psoriasis or RA, symptoms come and go. Periods of symptoms are called flare-ups. Periods when the symptoms go away are called remissions. BOTTOM LINE: Symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches, swelling, and redness could be signs of an autoimmune disease. Often symptoms come and go over time. SEE A DOCTOR When to see a doctor See a doctor if you have symptoms of an autoimmune disease. You might need to visit a specialist, depending on the type of disease you have. Rheumatologists treat joint diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome. Gastroenterologists treat diseases of the GI tract, such as celiac and Crohn’s disease. Endocrinologists treat conditions of the glands, including Graves’ and Addison’s disease. Dermatologists treat skin conditions such as psoriasis. DIAGNOSIS Tests that diagnose autoimmune diseases No single test can diagnose most autoimmune diseases. Your doctor will use a combination of tests and an assessment of your symptoms to diagnose you. The antinuclear antibody test (ANA) is often the first test that doctors use when symptoms suggest an autoimmune disease. A positive test means you likely have one of these diseases, but it won’t confirm exactly which one you have. Other tests look for specific autoantibodies produced in certain autoimmune diseases. Your doctor might also do tests to check for the inflammation these diseases produce in the body. BOTTOM LINE: A positive ANA blood test can show that you have an autoimmune disease. Your doctor can use your symptoms and other tests to confirm the diagnosis. TREATMENT How are autoimmune diseases treated? Treatments can’t cure autoimmune diseases, but they can control the overactive immune response and bring down inflammation. Drugs used to treat these conditions include: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Naprosyn) immune-suppressing drugs Treatments are also available to relieve symptoms like pain, swelling, fatigue, and skin rashes. Eating a well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise can also help you feel better. BOTTOM LINE: The main treatment for autoimmune diseases is with medications that bring down inflammation and calm the overactive immune response. Treatments can also help relieve symptoms. BOTTOM LINE The bottom line More than 80 different autoimmune diseases exist. Often their symptoms overlap, making them hard to diagnose. Autoimmune diseases are more common in women, and they often run in families. Blood tests that look for autoantibodies can help doctors diagnose these conditions. Treatments include medicines to calm the overactive immune response and bring down inflammation in the body.
Dr. Ved Srivastava5 Likes5 Answers - Login to View the image
A 72-year-old woman with a history of hypertension and metastatic bladder cancer is referred to the hospital emergency department (ED) by her primary care provider with a complaint of 3 to 4 weeks of gradually worsening bilateral finger pain and cyanosis associated with a 15-lb weight loss. She denies any fever, cold exposure, palpitations, or other complaints. On examination, the patient is cachectic but appears well hydrated. She has normal vital signs except for her pulse, which is borderline in the 90s. Examination of her head and neck is normal, as is examination of her chest and abdomen. Her extremities have good peripheral pulses, but her fingers are cool and discolored. Initial concerns include vasculitis, ischemia, infection, emboli, or frostbite. The patient underwent testing in the ED, which revealed the following: Electrocardiography was normal without ectopy Liver function tests and basic metabolic panel were normal Complete blood count was normal except for a platelet count of 572,000/µL C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were both extremely elevated. ▪️What does the image shows? ▪️What should be your Next step?
Dr. Mahananda .2 Likes17 Answers
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