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Common diarrhoea exam questions for medical finals, OSCEs and MRCP PACES

 

Question 1.

What is the basic differential diagnosis in someone presenting with diarrhoea?

  • Infectious:
    • Viral
      • Norovirus; Rotavirus
    • Bacterial
      • E.coli; Salmonella; Shigella; Campylobacter
      • Vibrio cholerae
      • C. difficile
    • Protozoal/parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
      • Amoebic dysentery
  • Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
  • Colorectal carcinoma
  • Coeliac disease
  • Drugs
    • Antibiotics; Cytotoxics; Laxatives; PPIs; Digoxin; NSAIDs; Propranolol
  • Thyrotoxicosis
  • Bacterial overgrowth
  • Pancreatic insufficiency
  • Short bowel syndrome
  • Ischaemic colitis

Question 2.

What are the causes of bloody diarrhoea?

  • Infection: Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter
  • IBD
  • Colorectal carcinoma