Chron’s disease is an increasingly widespread disease that can also affect children. Let’s see what the symptoms are to recognize it.
Chron’s disease is defined as an inflammatory disease of the intestine that can also affect the entire gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms to be recognized are different based on the location and, in many cases, lead to disabling conditions for the patient.
Chronic or relapsing immune activation in the gastrointestinal tract is the cause of Chron’s disease, a major form of inflammatory bowel disease along with ulcerative colitis. The disease mainly affects the last part of the small intestine and the colon, and is characterized by ulcers resulting from inflammation. Effective treatment is essential to avoid the risk of complications such as strictures, i.e. intestinal narrowings and fistulas, perforations that require surgery.
Research is making progress in the treatment of Chron’s disease but to date the causes are not yet known. Researchers are trying to trace the origin of the event without success, to why the cells of the immune system attack the intestine. In this way, they could revolutionize the management of the disease.
How to recognize Chron’s disease, symptoms and early diagnosis
As mentioned, symptoms vary depending on the gastrointestinal tract affected by the disease. Patients suffer from abdominal pain, chronic diarrhea lasting more than 4 weeks, weight loss, persistent low-grade fever. In the most serious cases, ulcers can form in the intestine but, fortunately, medicine today prevents serious complications from occurring with adequate Chron’s disease treatments.
Symptoms of Chron’s disease and new treatments (Biopianeta.it)
Early diagnosis is essential to guarantee the patient a more satisfactory quality of life. A blood test, a stool analysis and non-invasive abdominal tests (such as an ultrasound of the intestinal loops or an abdominal MRI) are enough to ascertain the pathology and not confuse the symptoms with irritable bowel syndrome. Other more invasive tests are gastroscopy and colonoscopy which allow a more direct evaluation of the intestinal mucosa. Once the disease has been diagnosed, the patient can immediately begin treatment or undergo surgery if necessary.
Research allows us to administer therapies capable of interfere with inflammatory and autoimmune processes of Chron’s disease. Immunosuppressants reduce the activity of the immune system. Of great importance in recent years is the development of latest generation therapies, such as those with ustekinumab monoclonal antibodies. A multicenter study published in the journal Lancet Gastroenterology Hepatology was the first in the world focused precisely on Chron’s disease and new therapies.
2024-03-05 18:31:05
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