Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term primarily used to describe two chronic inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract:
1. Crohn's disease
2. Ulcerative colitis
Both conditions involve inflammation of the digestive tract, but they affect different areas and have distinct characteristics.
Feature | Crohn's Disease | Ulcerative Colitis |
Location of inflammation | Can occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from mouth to anus, but most commonly in the ileum and colon. | Confined to the colon and rectum. |
Depth of inflammation | Transmural (affects all layers of the bowel wall). | Mucosal and submucosal layers only (superficial). |
Pattern of involvement | Discontinuous ("skip lesions" or patchy areas of inflammation). | Continuous inflammation, starting from the rectum and extending proximally. |
Symptoms | Abdominal pain, diarrhea (may be bloody), weight loss, fever, fatigue. | Bloody diarrhea, urgency, tenesmus, abdominal pain. |
Fistulas | Common, especially perianal fistulas. | Rare |
Granulomas | Present in about 25-50% of cases (non-caseating granulomas) | Rarely present. |
Strictures | Common, leading to bowel obstruction. | Rare |
Fibrosis | Present | Rare |
Anti flagellin Ab | Present | Absent |
Pseudo polyp | Rare | Present |
Toxic megacolon | Rare | Present |
Antibodies | Presence of ASCA | Presence of p-ANCA |
Endoscopic Findings | • Cobblestone appearance • Deep ulcers • Strictures | • Continuous inflammation (Pipe stem colon) • Pseudopolyps • Loss of haustral folds |
Recurrence after surgery | High | No |