Crohn’s Disease—November 22, 1995

Crohn’s Disease—November 22, 1995

This is a specific inflammatory bowel disease of unknown cause, commonly affecting young and middle-aged adults. What was previously referred to as localized ileitis now falls under this category, and it has since been found to affect the colon as well. The disease progresses slowly and over a long period, accompanied by diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloody stools, fever, and joint pain. In severe cases, intestinal bleeding, intestinal perforation, intestinal obstruction, masses, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate may occur. The primary treatment for this disease is salicylate preparations, with adrenal corticosteroids also showing good efficacy. In terms of diagnosis, common findings include accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, increased blood cell count or decreased granular cells, increased platelets, hypoproteinemia, proteinuria, and impaired liver function. Important complications of this disease include joint pain, fever, and liver-kidney damage, and it is now classified as an autoimmune disease. Skin manifestations of this condition are most severe in systemic lupus erythematosus, joint manifestations are most severe in rheumatoid arthritis, skin hardening is most severe in scleroderma, muscle manifestations are most severe in dermatomyositis, glandular secretion changes are most severe in Sjögren's syndrome, inflammation around arteries is most severe in nodular periarteritis, gastrointestinal changes are most severe in Crohn’s disease, and high fever is most severe in subsepsis.