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There are a number of conditions that can mimic Crohn's disease. In certain parts of the world tuberculosis is very prevalent and it can mimic symptoms of Crohn's disease. There are other conditions that are inflammatory diseases of the bowel, such as microscopic colitis that can cause symptoms that may be similar to Crohn's disease, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. Celiac disease is another condition that can present with similar symptoms, namely weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal pain. However, on imaging, blood tests, and endoscopy or colonoscopy, one can differentiate the two conditions.
There are a number of conditions that can mimic Crohn's disease. In certain parts of the world tuberculosis is very prevalent and it can mimic symptoms of Crohn's disease. There are other conditions that are inflammatory diseases of the bowel, such as microscopic colitis that can cause symptoms that may be similar to Crohn's disease, such as abdominal pain or diarrhea. Celiac disease is another condition that can present with similar symptoms, namely weight loss, diarrhea, abdominal pain. However, on imaging, blood tests, and endoscopy or colonoscopy, one can differentiate the two conditions.
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease fall under the umbrella of inflammatory bowel diseases or IBD. They have very similar pathophysiology, meaning the underlying causes of both diseases are very similar. Their genetics may be somewhat different, but there's definitely an overlap between Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease. Symptomatically, there's also a lot of similarities. Patients with Crohn's colitis meaning the form of Crohn's disease that only affects the colon, can present very, very similar to patients with ulcerative colitis. And oftentimes it's difficult to differentiate the two early on. Some of the symptoms that have been studied and seem to be signs that a patient may have Crohn's colitis versus ulcerative colitis is if on initial presentation, they have more weight loss. So patients with more significant weight loss with less blood in their stool, typically are going to end up having Crohn's colitis. Whereas patients who have not had as much weight loss, who have predominantly bloody diarrhea seem to have ulcerative colitis. However, there are features on colonoscopy and blood tests that can help differentiate the two even further.
So Crohn's disease can affect people of all ages. They can start at a very early age, and typically though it presents in the second and third decade of life. And so we see a lot of teenagers, early adults presenting with symptoms of Crohn's disease. Now keep in mind, most of the time, Crohn's disease just doesn't appear overnight. People tend to have inflammation that's smoldering and progresses and eventually to develop symptoms. So the early signs of Crohn's disease could be poor weight gain as a child, not meeting your milestones. As you get older, it could just be fatigue and inability to gain weight or grow appropriately. And then symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding can occur. And in the more severe forms, people can have severe anemia, fevers, bowel obstructions or blockages or intra-abdominal infections from the fistulizing type of Crohn's where they get abscesses in their digestive tract.
Diagnosing Crohn's disease can be easy when It's clear cut. But in certain situations, Crohn's disease diagnosis can be fairly challenging. And it's very, very important that before one commits to a life of diagnosis with Crohn's disease and chronic immunosuppressant medications, that the appropriate tests have been done to make sure that this is in fact Crohn's disease and not an infection or some other cause of the patient's symptoms. Oftentimes, a test is done and it could be a false positive test result. And patients are put on medications that they stay on for very, very long time. So if there is a doubt, if there's some inconsistencies, I always recommend for patients to seek specialized medical attention, whether it's in the form of a gastroenterologist who specializes in Crohn's disease or seeing inflammatory bowel disease specialist to make sure that all the pieces of the puzzle are put together and the diagnosis is accurate before starting on immunosuppressants.
So because Crohn's disease affects the entire digestive tract, potentially it can interfere with absorption of nutrients. In children, that may mean stunting growth and malnutrition. In addition, oftentimes once a patient is diagnosed with Crohn's disease as a child, some of the medications are in and of themselves, causing stunting of growth such as steroids. So occasionally patients, children, or even adults who get diagnosed with Crohn's disease must be put on steroids, at least in the short term, to get their disease under control. And that can stunt growth. And so really we have two components. One is the actual disease itself and the effects on the digestive tract is has, in terms of preventing absorption of food. Secondly, we have symptoms that prevent people, especially kids, from wanting to eat, being able to eat. And so that's the actual disease component. And then the treatments also, are such that it's particular steroids, they that can stunt growth.
The symptoms and the manifestations of Crohn's disease are very treatable. It's really reassuring. Nowadays, we have a large armamentarium of treatment options. And most patients were able to get, to respond and to actually go into remission. And majority of the symptoms and even the complications of Crohn's disease are now treatable and reversible.
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