DRANURAG TAJNE
MBBSDCH
ARIHANT HOSPITAL
NAGPUR
9579510161
APPROACH TO
DIARRHEA
OBJECTIVES
INTRODUCTION/ DEFINITION
CAUSES
ETIOPATHOGENESIS
CLINICAL FEATURES AND COMPLICATIONS
DIAGNOSIS
EVALUATION OF DEHYDRATION
TREATMENT
PREVENTION
DIARRHOEA
Diarrhoea defined as excessive loss of fluid and electrolyte in
stool.
For infants stool output >10 ml/kg/24 hr and >200g/24hr for
older children.
When there is an in frequency, volume or liquidity ( Recent
change in consistency) of the bowel movement relative to the
usual habit of each individual
Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics,20th ed
DEFINITIONS
•Acute diarrhea
Duration <2 wks, usually of infectious origin
•Prolonged diarrhea
Diarrhea of duration 7-14 days of presumed infectious etiology. It
may be an indicator for children with a high risk of progression to
Persistent diarrhea
•Chronic diarrhea
Diarrhea of more than 2 weeks duration.
•Dysentry
Bloody diarrhea, visible blood and mucus present.
Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics,20th ed
WHAT IS NOT A DIARRHOEA?
1.Frequent formed stools
2.Pasty stools in breastfed child
3.Stools during or after feeding
4.PSEUDODIARRHOEA:Small volume of stool frequently
(IBS)
ETIO-PATHOGENESIS
OSMOTIC DIARRHOEA
LOSS OF MATURE ABSORPTIVE CELLS
INVADE S.I. MUCOSA
VIRAL -MC
ROTA ADENO
SECRETORY DIARRHOEA
ULCERATION –SYNTHESIS OF SECRETAGOGUES
ACUTE INFLAMMATION
INVADE LARGE INTESTINE
BACTERIAL -INVASIVE
SHIGELLA, SALMONELLA, YERSINIA, V.PARAHEMOLYTICUS
DECREASE ABSORPTIVE SURFACE
CELL INFLAMMATION, CELL DEATH
ELABORATION OF CYTOTOXIN
BACTERIA -CYTOTOXIC
SHIGELLA,EPEC,V.HEMOLYTICUS,C.DIFFICILE
ALTERED SALT AND WATER TRANSPORT
ENTEROTOXIN-INCREASE THE CONC. OF INTRACELLULAR
MEDIATORS
COLONISE SMALL INTESTINE
BACTERIA -TOXIGENIC
SHIGELLA,ETEC,VIBRIO
DECREASE INTESTINAL ABSORPTIVE SURFACE
FLATTENING OF MICROVILLI
COLONISE & ADHERE SMALL INTESTINE
BACTERIAL ADHERENTS
EPEC,EHEC
SIGNS NONE /MINIMAL
DEHYDRATION(<3
%
LOSS OF BODY WT)
SOME/ MILD
TO
MODERATE(3 -
9% LOSS OF
B.WT)
SEVERE ( >9%
LOSS OF B.WT)
CLINICAL DEHYDRATION SCORE
No Dehydration: PLAN-A
Some Dehydration: PLAN-B
Severe Dehydration: PLAN-C
Plan of Treatment
Treat Diarrhea at Home.
4 Rules of Home Treatment:
GIVE EXTRA FLUID
CONTINUE FEEDING
WHEN TO RETURN [ADVICE TO MOTHER]
GIVE ORAL ZINC FOR 14 DAYS
PLAN –A
TELL THE MOTHER:
Breastfeed frequently and for longer at each feed
If exclusively breastfeed give ORS for replacement of stool
losses
If not exclusively breastfed, give one or more of the following:
ORS, food-based fluid (such as soup, rice water,
coconut water and yogurt drinks), or clean water.
TEACH THE MOTHER HOW TO MIX AND GIVE
O.R.S
AMOUNT OF FLUID TO GIVE IN ADDITION TO THE
USUAL FLUID INTAKE:
Up to 2 years: 50 to 100 ml after each loose stool.
2 years or more: 100 to 200 ml after each loose stool.
Give extra fluid
Continue usual feeding, which the child was
taking before becoming sick 3-4 times
(6 times)
Up to 6 months of age:
Exclusive Breast feeding
6 months to 12 months of age:
add Complementary Feeding
12 months and above:
Family Food
Continue feeding
Advise mother to return immediately if the
child has any of these signs:
Not able to drink or breastfeed or drinks poorly
Becomes sicker
Develops a fever
Blood in stool
[IF IT WAS NOT THERE EARLIER]
When to Return
[Advice to mother]
Plan-B is carried out at ORT Corner in
OPD/clinic/ PHC
Treat ‘some’ dehydration with ORS (50-100
ml/kg
Give 75 ml/kg of ORS in first 4 hours
If the child wants more, give more
After 4 hours:
Re-assess and classify degree of dehydration.
PLAN –B
PLAN -C
Signs of sever dehydration
Child not improving after 4 hours
Refer to higher center –give ORS on way /keep
warm /BF
When child comes back follow up as other children
Start I. V. Fluid immediately
Give 100 ml/kg of Ringer’s Lactate
Age First give
30ml/kg in
Then give
70 ml/kg in
Under 12 months 1 hour 5 hours
12 months and
older
½ hour 2½ hour
PLAN –C
Use intravenous or intraosseusroute
Ringers Lactate with 5% dextrose or ½ normal saline with 5% dextrose
at 15 ml/kg/hour for the first hour
* do not use 5% dextrose alone
Fluid therapy in severe dehydration
Continue monitoring every 5-10 min.
Assess after 1 hour
If no improvement or worsening If improvement(pulse slows/faster
capillary refill /increase in blood pressure)
Consider septic shock Consider severe dehydration with shock
Repeat Ringers Lactate 15 ml/kg over 1 h
Switch to ORS 5-10ml/kg/hr orally or by
nasogastric tube for up to 10 hrs
What Is ORS
Safe & effective
Can alone successfully rehydrate 95-97% patients with
diarrhea,
Reduces hospital case fatality rates by 40 -50%
Cost saving
Reduces hospital admission rates by 50% and cost of
treatment by 90%
BUT
WHO-ORS:“potentially the most important medical advance of this
century”’ The Lancet
> 50% Goa, Himachal, Meghalaya, Tripura,
Manipur
> 40% West Bengal, J&K, Mizo, Chhattisgarh
>20% Bihar, Orissa, Uttaranchal, Punjab, Gujarat,
MP, Southern States
< 20% Rajasthan, UP,Assam, Jharkhand,
Nagaland
Recent NFHS 3 data
ORS use rates are dismally low in some regions
STANDARD ORS SOLUTION LOW
OSMOLARITY ORS
(MEQOR MMOL/L)
GLUCOSE 111 75
SODIUM 90 75
CHLORIDE 80 65
POTASSIUM 20 20
CITRATE 10 10
OSMOLARITY 311 245
Composition of standard and low osmolarity
ORS solutions
LAB.EVALUATION AND IMAGING
STOOL CULTURE-salmonella
shigella
yersinia
campylobacter
pathogenic E.coli-serotyping
RAPID STOOL TEST: for inflammatory markers
Hematological tests: white blood cell band count >100/mm
3.
C-reactive protein cut point of >12
milligrams/dl
Biochemical tests: BUN
Ser.bicarbonate <17 mEq/L
GRBS
USG
TREATMENT
ANTIEMETIC-Ondansetron0.5mg/kg/dose
NO ANTIMOTILITY MEDICATION :
Diarrhea may function as an evolved expulsion
defense mechanism
Can cause HUS in EHEC infection.
ADSORBANTS AND ANTISECRETORY AGENTS:
Bismuth –inc.salicylate levels
PROBIOTICS -LactobacillusGGand
Saccharomyces boulardii
ANTIBIOTICS FOR A/C GE
PREVENTION
Good Hygiene
Vaccines
Prevent global warming
Global warming αfood borne infections
αcontamination of water
ENRICH –( December 2011Bulletin from IAP )
CHRONIC DIARRHOEA
•Diarrhoea lasting for more than 2 weeks
•Mainly non infections causes
Causes of chronic diarrhea
Inflammatory & immune
Celiac disease
Primary/sec immunodeficiency
Eosinophilicgastroenteritis
food allergy-cow milk protein, soy
protein
IBD
Infectious diarrhea
Parasites (e.g., Giardialamblia,
Isospora)
Helminths(e.g., Strongyloides)
Bacterial (e.g., MAI, Clostridium
difficile
SI bacterial overgrowth
Whipple disease
Abnormal digestive processes
Pancreatic-
Cystic fibrosis
Shwachman-Diamond syn
Isolated pancreatic enzyme
deficiency
Chronic pancreatitis
Pearson syndrome
Bile acid disorders-
Chronic cholestasis
Terminal ileum resection
Bacterial overgrowth
Primary bile acid
malabsorption
osmotic
secretory
Motility
disorder
Reduced
surface area
Mutational
defects in ion
transport
proteins
CHRONIC
DIARRHEA
PATHOGENESIS OF CHRONIC DIARRHEA
EVALUATION OF PATIENT
History
Examination
Investigations including tests of malabsorption
HISTORY TAKING
What is the complaint
Onset –sudden? Gradual?
Duration
Stool-frequency, consistency, volume, presence of blood or mucus, pain
Relation to particular food stuff
Fever
Abdominal pain –peri-umblical? Left lower quadrant?
Features of any systemic diseases
History of weight loss
Any known systemic disease
Food taken & History of gastroenteritis in others sharing same food
history of food allergy/ abdominal surgery
HISTORY
Confirmthisisdiarrhea(comparewithusualhabitofchild)
Onsetacuteorinsidious–infectious,acutesecretorydiarrhea
Age of onset
Neonatal –lactose intolerance, congenital diarrhea
-Cow milk protein intolerance
Early childhood-Celiac disease
late childhood -IBD, IBS
Durationofsymptom
Doesthechildhaveweightlossorfailuretogainweight-malabsorption,
pancreaticenzymeinsufficiency
Natureofdiarrhea
Urinelikestool-Congenitalchloridediarrhea
-Microvillusinclusiondisease
Explosivewaterydiarrhea-Carbohydratemalabsorption
Loosebulkystool-Celiacdisease
Pastyandyellowishoffensive–Exocrinepancreaticinsufficiency
Fatty,floatingstools-Malabsorptionsyndromes
Blood,pus,mucous-chronicinflammatorydiarrhea
Relation with diet/ dietary history
Carbonated drink and fruit juice –Chronic non specific diarrhea
Sucrose diet –sucrose intolerance
Wheat diet –Celiac disease
Fatty diet –Pancreatic insufficiency
Milk –Lactose intolerance, Cow milk protein intolerance
HISTORY
HISTORY
Abdominal pain –IBD, IBS
Patient undergo abdominal surgery –Short gut or bacterial over growth
syndrome
Fever, red eye, oral ulcer –IBD
Arthritis –IBD, Whipple disease
Drug history –Laxative (Factitious diarrhea)
Recurrent respiratory and skin infection -immunodeficiency, Cystic fibrosis
Family history of food allergy, asthma or allergic rhinitis.
Family history of celiac disease, crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis
Prolonged use of antibiotic, pseudomembranous colitis
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
Level of hydration
Look for tongue
Sunken eyes
Skin turger
Temperature, Blood pressure, Pulse rate, rr
Pallor
features of malnourishment -Anthropometry ,Loss of subcutaneous fat,
Muscle wasting, Loose skin appearance
Abdominal tenderness
Features of liver / pancreatic disease
Other features of relevant systemic diseases
Abdominal distension –Gas -due to bacteria
–Ascites –protein loss
Oedema –Protein lossing enteropathy
Clubbing –Coeliac diseae, cystic fibrosis
Perianal excoriation –carbohydrate malabsorption
Perianal and circumoral rash –acrodermatitis enteropathica
Hepatosplenomegaly with lymphadenopathy –HIV
Oral thrush –Immunodeficiency
Features of associated vitamin deficiencies
Glossitis, Cheilosis, Stomatitis, Vit B deficiency
Peripheral neuropathy -Vit B
12 and Thiamine deficiency
Ricketic change, osteomalacia, easy fracture –vit. D and Ca deficiency
Koilonychia –Iron deficiency
INVESTIGATIONS
CBC
Anemia (microcytic or macrocytic)
Lymphopenia (lymphangiectasia)
Neutropenia (Shwachman syndrome)
Increased platelet –IBD
PBF
Acanthocytosis (A beta lipoproteinemia)
ESR
Increased in inflammatory pathology
RFT, LFT
Serum iron, TIBC, B12
STP, S. alb
Stool examination-
Take liquid contents
Stored in refrigerator
Blood or mucus colonic inflammation
Microscopic examination->20 wbc/hpf
Fecal calprotectinconcentration-100ug/gm stool
PH <5 .5 & presence of reducing substance –carbohydrate malabsorption
Stool electrolytes and osmolality-Secretorydiarrhea
Microscopy for ova and parasite-in endemic areas
Acid fast staining
Cryptosporidium/cyclospora
Stool culture-dysentry, fecal leucocytes +, HUS, immunocompromised
children.
FAT MALABSORPTION TESTS
1. STOOL FOR FAT GLOBULES
Qualitative test
Rapid and inexpensive
SudanIIIstain-DRUMMEY’S method
Orange fat globule -seen in microscope
<100 globule with diameter <4-8 u / HPF –moderate steatorrhoea
>100 globule with diameter <6-75 u / HPF –severe steatorrhoea
2. 72 hours fat extraction test (quantitative)
“Gold standard”
however cant differentiate between pancreatic and intestinal causes
Before the test, the patient is put on a high fat diet, consuming between 50-150 g/day of fat
for three days. Stool fat is estimated by VAN DE KAMER METHOD.
Steatorrhoeaif >15% fat output (<6 mo of age) >7%(>6 mo of age)
Limited use in clinical practice due to issues with
collection/processing
3. Classical steatocrit
Semi-quantitative screening test
Steatocrit>2.1% indicates steatorrhoeaof >10gm/d
4. Fat soluble vitamin–Vit. D –Ca, Po
4,
AlkPO
4,
–VitK –PT INR
S. carotene-Dietary carotene is the only source and serum level
depends on normal fat absorption.
normal-100IU/dl
CARBOHYDRATE MALABSORPTION TEST
1. D-XYLOSE ABRORPTION TEST
Indicates malabsorption secondary to mucosal dysfunction (proximal small
intestinal-jejunum)
After overnight fasting-Oral load with 25 g D-xylose(adult dose) 5gm(children)
5 hr urine collection done ( atleast25% excretion <4g/ <15%-abnormal)
1 hr and 2 hr serum samples (normal > 20 mg/dl at 1 hr, > 25 mg/dl at 2 hr)
Normal-in pancreatic insufficiency
Abnormal-CD, Tropical sprue, Chron’sdisease, pellagra, advanced AIDS
Falsely low-vomiting, gastric stasis, ascites, edema, bacterial overgrowth, impaired
renal functions
Drugs that decrease urinary excretion of D xylose-aspirin, indomethacin,digitalis,
neomicin, opiates.
Almost obsolete test.
2. Breath Hydrogen test
For specific carbohydrate malabsorption and bacterial overgrowth
Overnight fast
Suspected sugar 1-2 gm/kg max. 50 gm given
Not digest or absorb in small intestine
In colon by fermentation hydrogen and carbon dioxide isformed, absorbed
into blood and excreted in breath.
<20 ppm is normal. 20-80 ppm indeterminate. >80ppm-malabsorption.
Unreliable results-smokers, pulmonary disease, hyperventilation.
False negatives-Hydrogen non excretors, antibiotics 2 weeks prior.
PROTEIN MALABSORPTION TESTS
Indirect methods
Fecal -1 antitrypsin concentration
normal-0.8 mg/gm stool.
Protein losing enteropathy->2.6mg/gm stool
cant be done in < 1 week of age
Hypoalbuminemia
Serum proteins with short half lives can be used as nutritional markers.
Prealbumin(transthyretin)
Somatomedin C
Retinal binding protein
Transferrin
TESTSFORPANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY
Serum trypsinogen
Fecal chymotrypsin <150 mg/kg in older children
Fecal elastase-1
Gold standard-Direct estimation of bicarbonate (secretin) or
amylase/lipase/trypsin (CCK) after stimulation using either secretin or CCK
or test (Lundh) meal
Limited by availability, invasiveness, expense
Cystic fibrosis is most common cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in
children so a sweat chloride test must be performed.
IMAGING STUDIES & ENDOSCOPY
Plain X-ray abdomen
Air fluid levels-ileus, obstruction
Calcification-Chr. Pancreatitis
USG-e/o cholestasis, cirrhosis, thickening of small
bowel –crohn’s disease
Barium contrast small bowel series
Anatomical lesions, transit time
stenosis, decreased folds, segmentation, dilation
CT/MR abdomen
Detect bowel and pancreatic lesions
Small bowel endoscopy with jejunal aspirate and culture,
Colonoscopy
ERCP / MRCP-Detect ductal abnormalities
ENDOSCOPY ANDSMALLBOWELBIOPSY
-when SI mucosal disease is suspected
-when d-xylose test is abnormal
Visual assessment
Decreased folds, scalloping, mosaic
pattern, inflammatory changes
ANTIBIOTICS
Antimicrobial therapy is required for
•Clostridium difficileenterocolitis
•Giardia-Metronidazole, nitrazoxanide
•Cryptosporidium-Nitrazoxanide
•If bacterial agent is detected-specific antibiotic treatment
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth-metronidazolewith ampicillinor
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.
Empericallygiven antibiotics in the treatment of associated systemic
infections that are seen in almost 30% to 40% of such children
Oral-Cefixime
Ciprofloxacin
Azithromycin
IV-Cefotaxim
Ceftriaxone
PROBIOTICS
•DEFINITION-Live micro-organisms that, when administered in
adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host
Promote
intestinal
growth
Toxin
degradation
adhesion
Boost
immunity
Antibacterial
Host cell
signalling
Competition
MECHANISM OF ACTION
INDICATIONS:
•Persistent diarrhea: The use of probioticsappear to hold promise as
adjunctive therapy but there is insufficient evidence to recommend
their use. (Cochrane reviews. 2010)
•Chronic diarrhea:
•Cl. Difficileassociated diarrhea prevention: level B evidence
•IBS: level B evidence
•IBD: role in UC, no role in CD
ANTIMOTILITY DRUGS & ANTISECRETORY DRUGS
Antimotilitydrug-LOPERAMIDE.
4mg f/b 2 mg (adult dose)
MOA-reduces gastric motility.
not recommended in under 4 yr age
Indications:
•Chronic diarrhoeain HIV/AIDS-can still be used, with greater emphasis
placed on adjunct therapies [Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
2008]
•Treatment of diarrhea-predominant IBS [Digestion 2006]
•S/E: Abdominal cramps, rashes, paralytic ileus, toxic megacolon
•Antimotilitydrug-CODEINE
Opium alkaloid
MOA-acts on u receptors and decreases stool frequency by peripheral action
on small intestine and colon.
S/e-nausea, vomiting, dizziness, dependanceproducing liability is low but
present
Enkephalinase inhibitors-RACECADOTRIL
enkephalinase
Enkephalins inactive
delta receptors
Decrease c-AMP
Decreases electrolyte
and water secretion
•Decreases intestinal secretion . No
effect on motility
•The advantage over standard opiates
is no rebound constipation or
prolonged intestinal transit time. [GUT
2002]
•INDICATION
Short term treatment of secretory
diarrheas
S/E-nausea, flatulance, drowsiness
Dose-1.5 mg/kg TDS
Somatostatin analogue-OCTREOTIDE
MOA-reduce intestinal secretion by decreasing gut hormones e.g. VIP and
direct effect, either on the ENS or on the enterocyte itself.[GUT 2002]
Antimotility action
Indications:
•HIV enteropathy
•IBS
•Hormone secreting tumors-VIPoma, carcinoid tumours, and gastrinoma
[Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001]
Adrenergic agonist-CLONIDINE
MOA-antisecretory and antimotility effects
Indications:
•Moderate and severe diarrhea-predominant IBS. [Clin Gastroenterol
Hepatol. 2003]
•Short bowel syndrome and high-output proximal jejunostomy that
require chronic parenteral fluid infusion. [J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2006]
ABSORBANTS
Ispaghula / Psyllium
•They contain a natural colloidal mucilage and form a
gelatinous mass by absorbing water.
•They modify the consistency and frequency of stools and
give an impression of improvement without actually
decreasing water or electrolyte loss.
•No good evidence to support the use of bulking agents
(eg, psyllium) or adsorbents(eg, charcoal, kaolin plus
pectin) in chronic diarrhea-. [Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001]
•Irritable bowel syndrome –useful in both constipation and
diarrhea phases of IBS and also decrease abdominal pain