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Characteristics of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: |
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Ulcerative Colitis |
Crohn's Disease |
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Typical age range at diagnosis |
Primary 15 to 35 years
Secondary 55 to 70 years |
Primary 15 to 25 years
Secondary over 70 years |
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Incidence |
6-10/100.000 |
2-6/100.000 |
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Prevalence |
Up to 400 in 100,000 |
Up to 150 in 100,000 (rising in some areas) |
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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) |
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Acute symptoms |
Bloody diarrhoea
Fever
Abdominal pain and discomfort |
Abdominal pain and discomfort
Bloody diarrhoea
Sore tongue and lips |
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Chronic symptoms |
Diarrhoea
Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Weakness
Anaemia |
Diarrhoea
Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Lethargy and malaise
Anaemia |
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Chronic complications |
Reduced weight
Tiredness
Cancer of the colon and/or rectum |
Fibroses/stenosis of the gut
Reduced weight
Tiredness |
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Genetic connection |
Link between family members |
15 to 20 per cent have blood relatives with some form of IBD |
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Symptoms not involving the gut (extraintestinal symptoms) |
Joint pain, eye & skin problems |
Joint pain, gall stone & renal stone formation |