Characteristics of inflammatory bowel diseases:

Ulcerative colitis

Crohn's disease

Typical age range at diagnosis

Primary 15 to 35 years

Secondary 55 to 70 years

Primary 15 to 25 years

Secondary over 70 years

Incidence

6-10/100.000

2-6/100.000

Prevalence

Up to 400 in 100,000

Up to 150 in 100,000 (rising in some areas)

Disease location

Involves only rectum and colon. In case of progression the inflammation spreads upwards from the rectum in a continuous way.

Can involve any part of the gastro-intestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus – most commonly distal part of the small bowel and the beginning of the large bowel (colon). The inflammation of the gut are spread irregularly with normal gut appearance in many areas (so called skip lesions)

Acute symptoms

Bloody diarrhoea

Fever

Abdominal pain and discomfort

Abdominal pain and discomfort

Bloody diarrhoea

Sore tongue and lips

Chronic symptoms

Diarrhoea

Abdominal pain

Weight loss

Weakness

Anaemia

Diarrhoea

Abdominal pain

Weight loss

Loss of appetite

Lethargy and malaise

Anaemia

Chronic complications

Reduced weight

Tiredness

Cancer of the colon and/or rectum

Fibroses/stenosis of the gut

Reduced weight

Tiredness

Genetic connection

Link between family members

15 to 20 per cent have blood relatives with some form of IBD

Symptoms not involving the gut (extraintestinal symptoms)

Joint pain, eye & skin problems

Joint pain, gall stone & renal stone formation