Crohnss Disease

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Gastro Symptoms
What is Crohns Disease?
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Crohns disease refers to an inflammation of the
digestive tract. The disease is chronic. It
affects the digestive tract (gastro-intestinal
tract) anywhere from the mouth to the anus. An
estimated 25 of patients who develop Crohns
disease develop it in childhood. Patients should
see a physician if they develop common symptoms
of the disease such as diarrhea, fever and
fatigue, blood in stool, mouth sores, reduced
appetite and weight loss, and inflammation in the
anus or nearby areas. These symptoms can cause
slight discomfort or even severe pain. Children
and adolescents are at a higher risk of
developing the . Further research is needed to
determine whether there are ethnic or gender
differences in developing the disease.
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Radiology techniques such as conventional
enteroclysis, ultrasonography, computed
tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging can be
used to evaluate Crohns Disease (CD).  Some
methods are preferable to others because they
allow the evaluation of the small bowel that is
often affected over 80 of the time.
Treatment of Crohns disease may be challenging
as the causes of the disease are not well
understood. Perhaps the disease occurs as a
culmination of genetic, environmental, and
immunologic factors.
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It is possible that some hosts are genetically
susceptible, although it is unclear how or why
they are more susceptible. Overall, it is
possible that the development of the disease
depends on the interactions between diet, the
intestinal wall, and the permeability of the
intestinal wall. Some research studies suggest
that both extremes of weight (low body mass index
or high body mass index) may be associated with
the disease and that patients at either extreme
are more likely to develop Crohns disease. These
results indicate a U-shaped relationship with
Crohns Disease, with risk being highest in those
with low Body Mass Index (BMI) and very high BMI.
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Treatments for Crohns Disease include
glucocorticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents,
and biologic agents. These are primarily directed
against the inflammatory process of the disease.
Their role is to reduce inflammation, slow down
disease progression, and maintain remission.
Additionally, personal dietary intervention has
been used to treat Crohns Disease although the
degree of success has been variable. Thus far,
very few diets have improved disease outcomes in
a clinical setting and perhaps molecular
nutrition interventions could be more useful.  
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Exclusion diets that eliminate all food types and
introduce new foods one at a time may be used to
assess clinical response to diet modification.
However these have not been rigorously studied,
in part because exclusion diets tend to be
complex and time-consuming and in part because
patients are less likely to comply with these
restrictive diets. Preliminary studies indicate
that the exclusion of red meat and other forms of
animal protein appear may be beneficial and that
an increased diet rich in fiber may not be
helpful.
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In summary, it is important for researchers to
continue investigating the precise dietary
components that help mitigate or treat the
disease.  It is also important for researchers to
develop methods to better understand how the
disease develops. Patients are encouraged to see
a physician if they encounter any of the symptoms
of Crohns Disease described above. 1 Chan D,
Kumar D, Mendall M. What is known about the
mechanisms of dietary influences in Crohns
disease? Nutrition. 2015 Oct31(10)1195-203.
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