Rheumatologic manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

The main feature of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is the continuous activation of the mucosa-associated immune system; the disease has two major forms of presentation: ulcerative colitis and Crohn´s disease. The extraintestinal manifestations are present in 36% of patients, and any organ can be affected. There is an imbalance between proinflammatory and antinflammatory cytokines leading to a systemic disease. The rheumatologic manifestations of the IBD are: Peripheral arthritis, spondyloarthropathy and a third category that includes dermic and ocular lesions as well as metabolic bone disease. Control of the extraintestinal manifestations is based on systemic therapy with steroids, 5-ASA derivatives and biological anti-TNF therapy.