Atrophy
Screen with IgA tissue transglutaminase antibodies while the patient is still eating gluten, check total IgA, and confirm with duodenal biopsy showing villous atrophy.
What our notes say
- Screen with IgA tissue transglutaminase antibodies while the patient is still eating gluten, check total IgA, and confirm with duodenal biopsy showing villous atrophy. (Endocrinology and Gastroenterology Question Bank: 12 Clinical MCQs)
- She has an upper GI endoscopy performed and biopsies of the lower esophagus are taken which show squamous epithelium with no acute or chronic inflammation or ulceration, only submucosal atrophy along with fibrosis of smooth muscle. (Gastrointestinal and liver — Past Paper Questions & Answers)
- The following are causes of pathological atrophy EXCEPT (General Pathology I)
- Villous atrophy with loss of functional absorptive surface (Paediatrics end of 2nd semester exam (MBPE 4300): 5 October 2021, 50 MCQs)
- | Biopsy | Endomysial inflammation (CD8 T cells) | Perifascicular atrophy, perivascular inflammation | (Internal Medicine Rheumatology CAT: 30 MCQs and 5 short answer questions)
- Caudate and left lateral lobe enlargement with right lobe atrophy. (Internal Medicine CAT 1 (MBIM 6112), 2019/2020: gastroenterology and hepatology,)
Study material on Atrophy
- CNS PATHOLOGY
- GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY (Part 2)
- GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY (Part 1)
- renal pathology
- Neurodegenerative Prion Diseases: CJD, Pathology & Rapid Dementia
- Chemical pathology and Endocrine pathology
- Urinary Tract Obstruction & Hydronephrosis: Causes, Symptoms
- Male Reproductive System Pathology
- Penile & Testicular Pathologies: Hypospadias, Tumors, Torsion – Male Reproductiv
- General Pathology I
- MCQ: GASTROINTESTINAL PATHOLOGY — 60 MCQs (Redistributed Answers)
Practice questions on Atrophy
A study documents testicular abnormalities in adult males with infertility, some having a patchy pattern of atrophy of testicular tubules. Which of the following infections is most likely to produce these findings?
- Mumps virus
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- Neisseria gonorrheae
- Human papillomavirus
Answer: A. This is a very common childhood infection (when vaccinations are not done) resulting in orchitis as well as parotitis. The inflammation rarely causes enough damage to produce a significantly reduced sperm count if acquired in childhood. The virus tends to produce more testicular damage when adults are infected. ---
A 40-year-old female presents with chronic diarrhoea, weight loss, and abdominal pain. Biopsy of the small intestine shows villous atrophy and intraepithelial lymphocytosis. She is positive for anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) antibodies. What is the diagnosis?
- Crohn's disease
- Celiac disease
- Lactose intolerance
- Tropical sprue
Answer: B. Chronic diarrhoea, weight loss, villous atrophy, increased intraepithelial lymphocytes, and positive anti-tTG antibodies are diagnostic of celiac disease. ---
A 50-year-old male presents with a history of chronic diarrhoea, weight loss, and abdominal pain. Small bowel biopsy shows villous atrophy, increased intraepithelial lymphocytes, and positive anti-tTG antibodies. What is the most appropriate long-term management?
- Low-fat diet
- Gluten-free diet
- Antibiotic therapy
- Prokinetic agents
Answer: B. The diagnosis of celiac disease, confirmed by biopsy and serology, requires a lifelong gluten-free diet to manage symptoms and prevent complications. ---
The decrease in cell size seen in atrophy is primarily due to:
- Excessive water loss
- Decreased protein synthesis and increased protein degradation
- Cellular swelling
- Rupture of the plasma membrane
Answer: B. Atrophy results from a decreased workload or loss of stimulus, leading to protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.