Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease: prevalence and related factors

Abstract

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease may suffer one or more extraintestinal manifestations during the course of their condition, these being more frequent in Crohn s disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of extraintestinal manifestations in patients with Crohn s disease in our healthcare area, and to assess the relationship between its presence and diverse clinical-evolutionary variables.

Material and methods: Extraintestinal manifestations in 157 patients diagnosed with Crohn s disease in our center were retrospectively studied. The clinical-evolutionary characteristics of this population were compared with respect to the presence or absence of different extraintestinal manifestations.

Results: Seventy-two patients (46%) presented at least with one extraintestinal manifestation. Thirty-one percent were colitis-related manifestations (22% rheumatologic, 13% muco-cutaneous, 4% ophthalmologic), 11% cholelithiasis, 8% nephrolithiasis, 3% thromboembolic illness, and other manifestations were less frequent. Fourteen percent presented with more than one extraintestinal manifestation. Rheumatologic and muco-cutaneous manifestations were significantly more frequent in patients with disease confined to the colon. Cholelithiasis was significantly associated to those over 40 and also to males. Nephrolithiasis was also significantly associated to those over 40, and thromboembolic illness was linked to females.

Conclusions: forty-six percent of patients with Crohn s disease presented at least with one extraintestinal manifestation. Thirty-one percent presented with colitis-related manifestations, rheumatologic and muco-cutaneous manifestations being the most frequent, whereas hepatic manifestations were infrequent. Rheumatologic and muco-cutaneous manifestations were more frequent in patients with disease confined to the colon.