Special interest: Gastroenterology

The common presentation of coeliac disease has shifted from the historically classical symptoms of malabsorption in childhood to non-classical symptoms in adulthood such as irritable bowel syndrome-type symptoms, anaemia, chronic fatigue, change in bowel habit, abdominal pain and osteoporosis. A combination of coeliac serology and duodenal biopsy is required to diagnose coeliac disease in adults. A lifelong strict gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment currently available. All patients should be referred to a specialist dietitian for guidance and support.

Gallstone disease increases with age. Women have a higher prevalence of gallstones than men, which is attributed to exposure to oestrogen and progesterone. Liver function tests and an abdominal ultrasound should be offered to patients with symptoms suggestive of gallstone disease (e.g. abdominal pain, jaundice, fever). They should also be considered in patients with less typical but chronic abdominal or gastrointestinal symptoms.

Cirrhosis is a condition that arises as a result of chronic liver damage, typically over many years. It is characterised by fibrosis and nodularity of the liver parenchyma. Common causes of chronic liver disease include alcohol, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis. Nearly half of patients with cirrhosis are asymptomatic. As a result the condition may only be discovered incidentally as a result of abnormalities in liver function tests or imaging of the abdomen performed for other reasons. Alternatively patients may present with signs and symptoms of the complications of cirrhosis e.g. jaundice, ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy or hepatocellular carcinoma. The gold standard test for the diagnosis of cirrhosis remains a liver biopsy.

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Over the past decade survival in liver cancer has been steadily improving as a result of developments in surgery, transplantation and the introduction of a number of novel local, ablative and molecular targeted therapies. [With external links to current evidence and summaries]

Constipation is the most common childhood gastroenterological  problem, affecting 5-30% of children. Up to a third of these children will develop chronic constipation. The signs and symptoms of constipation in children are seldom clear and there is frequently a delay in seeking help in either a primary or secondary care setting. Patients and their parents often express concern that healthcare professionals do not take the problem seriously and the advice given is sometimes contradictory. Chronic constipation and soiling can have a massive impact on all aspects of a child's life, and that of their family, causing social, educational and psychological problems. [With external links to the evidence base]