Condition Lookup

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Sub-Category:

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD)

Number of Conditions: 2

Crohn’s Disease

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Large Intestine (Colon) Disorders

Sub-category: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD)

Symptoms:
abdominal pain; persistent diarrhea; fatigue; weight loss; fever; mouth sores; blood in stool; reduced appetite

Root Cause:
Chronic inflammation affecting any part of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly the ileum and colon, caused by an abnormal immune response to intestinal microbiota.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical history, colonoscopy with biopsy, capsule endoscopy, CT or MRI enterography, blood tests (e.g., CRP, anemia, hypoalbuminemia), and stool tests.

Treatment:
Treatment involves anti-inflammatory medications, immune modulators, biologic therapies, dietary management, and, in some cases, surgical resection of affected bowel segments.

Medications:
Aminosalicylates (e.g., sulfasalazine , mesalamine ) for mild disease; corticosteroids (e.g., budesonide , prednisone ) for acute flares; immunomodulators (e.g., methotrexate , azathioprine ); biologics (e.g., adalimumab , ustekinumab ) targeting TNF or interleukins; antibiotics (e.g., metronidazole , ciprofloxacin ) for secondary infections or complications.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 780,000 people in the United States; incidence is rising globally, especially in developed nations.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, smoking, urban lifestyle, Western diet, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and younger age (typically diagnosed between 15-30 years).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic condition with variable severity; periods of remission and exacerbation; not curable but manageable; surgery is often needed in severe cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Bowel obstruction, fistulas, abscesses, malnutrition, increased risk of colorectal cancer, osteoporosis, and extraintestinal manifestations like skin disorders and joint inflammation.

Ulcerative Colitis

Specialty: Gastrointestinal

Category: Large Intestine (Colon) Disorders

Sub-category: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD)

Symptoms:
persistent diarrhea; abdominal pain; rectal bleeding; urgency to defecate; fatigue; weight loss; fever

Root Cause:
Chronic inflammation and ulceration of the mucosal lining of the colon and rectum, likely due to an autoimmune response triggered by environmental and genetic factors.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical history, colonoscopy with biopsy, stool tests, blood tests (e.g., CRP, ESR), and imaging studies like CT or MRI enterography.

Treatment:
Treatment includes anti-inflammatory drugs, immune system suppressors, dietary changes, and in severe cases, surgery (proctocolectomy with ileostomy or ileal pouch-anal anastomosis).

Medications:
Aminosalicylates (e.g., mesalamine , sulfasalazine ) to reduce inflammation; corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) for acute flares; immunomodulators (e.g., azathioprine ) to suppress the immune response; biologics (e.g., infliximab , adalimumab ) targeting specific inflammatory pathways.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects approximately 1-2 million people in the United States, with incidence rates rising in many developed countries.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history, Caucasian or Ashkenazi Jewish ethnicity, living in urban or industrialized areas, younger age (usually diagnosed before age 30).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Chronic condition with periods of remission and flare-ups; manageable with treatment; surgery can be curative but has associated risks.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Increased risk of colon cancer, toxic megacolon, perforation, severe bleeding, malnutrition, and extraintestinal manifestations like arthritis and uveitis.