22nd April 2024

Clinical manifestation

Diarrhoea, the increased frequency of loose or watery stools, can be acute or chronic. Acute lasts generally less than 14 days. It is typically self-limiting and may not require investigation. Chronic or persistent diarrhoea tends to require investigation and constipation is common. It is often related to lifestyle factors and diet, though it can be a signal of an underlying condition. Weight loss and abdominal pain can also signify underlying bowel disorders. Inflammatory bowel disease forms the major topic within disease of the large and small bowel. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic relapsing conditions which tend to be immunologically mediated. It is thought that an overly aggressive T-cell immune response to commensal bacteria in the gut leads to IBD, precipitated by genetic and environmental factors. Absorption and nutrition are closely linked to this, with impaired absorption of nutrients resulting from defects in the small intestines membrane transport system, as well as from acquired defects.