Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease is a
chronic inflammatory disease the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly
involving the small bowel (terminal ileum) and the large bowel (colon). The
inflammation may be anywhere from the mouth to the anus, and “skip
lesions” (areas of inflammation separated by normal areas) are
characterisitic. See also
Ulcerative colitis. See also
irritable bowel syndrome.
Symptoms
Crohn’s usually
presents with:
 |
Chronic
diarrhoea with urgency / incontinence |
|
Abdominal
cramping |
|
Fever,
loss of appetite, weight loss |
The onset of symptoms
may be abrupt or insidious and the symptoms are often characterised by
flare-ups and remissions.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is mainly on
history and on tests such as:
|
Blood
tests |
|
Barium
swallow - Following the progress of a barium meal by X-ray through the
bowels |
|
Colonoscopy
– Direct visualization of the large bowel with a long flexible tube |
|
Biopsy
– Removal of a small sample of tissue during colonoscopy, for
microscopic examination |
Medical treatment
|
Sulphasalazine
to reduce inflammation |
|
Steroids
(eg Prednisolone) to reduce inflammation |
|
Antibiotics
(eg Metronidazole) to reduce infection |
|
Immunosuppressive
drugs (eg cyclosporin) in severe cases |
Surgical treatment for cases where
tablets are not enough
|
Colectomy
(removal of the large bowel) |
|
Strictureplasty
– To open obstructions |
Cause
The cause is unknown.
The disease is most
commonly first diagnosed in people between 15 and 30 years of age, and it is
equally common in men and women.