People’s interest in Crohn’s disease has grown as an episode related to a Crohn’s disease patient appeared in the recently ended drama ‘Doctor Cha Jeong-suk’. Crohn’s disease was described in a very negative way, causing controversy. As a doctor who directly treats children with Crohn’s disease, it was very unfortunate that the disease seemed to be misunderstood by the public.
what is crohn’s disease
Simply put, Crohn’s disease is a chronically inflammatory disease of the intestines. Inflammation can appear anywhere throughout the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus, and if not treated, the inflammation continues and gets worse.
Clinical symptoms may vary depending on which part of the intestine is inflamed, but abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, complications around the anus (fistula/abscess), and poor growth are common.
why does it happen
The exact cause is still unknown. Changes in eating habits, represented by the Western diet, seem to be the biggest factor, and various other environmental and genetic factors, changes in the intestinal flora, etc. are thought to be caused by an excessive immune response in our body. Unlike other chronic diseases, the highest incidence rate is seen in the teens and twenties.
Is it some kind of genetic disease?
Crohn’s disease cannot be said to be a genetic disease in the general sense in terms of defining a genetic disease as a genetic disease that is directly related to disease expression.
As with other chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, it is true that having a family history increases your risk of developing the disease. However, as mentioned earlier, environmental factors such as food also have a great influence. In fact, about 15% of patients diagnosed with Crohn’s disease have a family history.
What symptoms should I suspect?
The three major symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. However, in reality, many people have only some of these symptoms when Crohn’s disease is diagnosed.
Rather, what is important when suspecting Crohn’s disease is that the symptoms last for a long time. For general enteritis, most symptoms should improve within a month, or at the latest within two months.
In addition, about 30% of Crohn’s disease patients in Korea are accompanied by diseases around the anus, so if anal diseases occur in children or young adults, it is necessary to suspect Crohn’s disease and visit a hospital.
What tests are used to diagnose?
Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere throughout the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. Therefore, if Crohn’s disease is suspected, all areas should be checked.
Esophageal, gastric, and duodenal lesions can be identified by gastroscopy, and colon lesions can be identified by colonoscopy, and the small intestine can be confirmed through capsule endoscopy or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Recently, a test that looks at the level of inflammation in the digestive tract through a stool test (Calprotectin) is often used, and the test result can help determine whether an endoscopy or MRI test is necessary.
What to do after being diagnosed
Crohn’s disease can live well without problems in daily life if the inflammation that occurred through appropriate treatment is eliminated and the progression of the disease is prevented. Of course, there are some patients who suffer from complications due to severe inflammation or have poor drug response, but there are far more cases where the inflammation is well controlled and leads a good daily life.
The more advanced the disease is, the more likely it is that these complications will occur or occur, so it is most important to diagnose the disease as soon as possible and treat it appropriately.
2023-07-23 07:49:47
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