Crohn's disease is a serious illness that affects the organs of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as the oral cavity. The National Scientific Center of Surgery and Transplantation named after O.O. Shalimov told about the main signs of the disease, UNN reports.
According to doctors, the disease develops formidable complications in the form of ulcers of the gastrointestinal mucosa and bleeding.
"The inflammatory process begins in the mucous membrane, gradually affects all layers of the gastrointestinal wall, leading to its destruction and fibrosis, fistulae and stenosis. Extensive damage to the small intestine leads to malabsorption syndrome, a disorder of the absorption function," the statement said.
In addition, the Center cites the characteristic initial symptoms of the disease:
- general weakness
- fever (in ≈30 %)
- weight loss (due to malnutrition or malabsorption syndrome)
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain and flatulence
- anemia (especially associated with B12 deficiency).
"The diagnosis is made on the basis of endoscopic, radiological and histological confirmation of segmental inflammatory changes in the gastrointestinal tract, often of a granulomatous nature, and ≈10% of patients are diagnosed with indeterminate colitis. Colonoscopy with biopsy is the basic test for the diagnosis of Crohn's disease," the doctors summarized.