Crohn Disease

Excerpt

Crohn disease is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis, though Crohn disease often presents more subtly. Crohn disease is an immunologically mediated inflammatory gastrointestinal condition, with pathology involving the entire thickness of the bowel wall.

The condition may involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Minnesota data show that 19% of patients present with stricturing or fistulizing disease within 90 days of diagnosis. About half of all patients experience an intestinal complication, such as fistulae, phlegmons, strictures, and abscesses, within 20 years of diagnosis. Population-based studies from Northern Europe and Minnesota suggest that Crohn disease presents with ileal, ileocolonic, or colonic involvement each third of the time, with disease migration occurring in only 6% to 14% of patients. Pathology in the upper gastrointestinal tract, ileal, or ileocolonic region portends a greater stricturing and fistulizing risk compared to colonic involvement. Crohn disease may also have extraintestinal manifestations, which often involve the eyes, skin, liver, and joints.

The disease runs a chronic and often progressive course. Frequent symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. Weight loss, fever, and fatigue are systemic manifestations of this condition. Without treatment, longstanding inflammation can produce debilitating complications. Early diagnosis and management can help optimize quality of life and outcomes for patients with Crohn disease.