Diagnostic and treatment difficulties in Crohn's disease

Inflammatory bowel diseases are related to a special pathology having a great psychosocial and economic impact, being represented by chronic diseases which often affects the adult/ active population and that require a long-term treatment. The incidence of Crohn's disease has recorded an increasing trend amongst the general population. However, the incidence of regional enteritis is somewhat lower than in the case of ulcero-hemorrhagic rectocolitis.

The highest prevalence of Crohn's disease is encountered among the populations with a high standard of living; the onset of the disease occurs between 15 and 35 years, but there are also rare cases with onset in childbirth or over 60 years of age. Men and women are approximate equally affected by Crohn's disease.

The main purpose of the treatment is to keep under control the disease, and to increase the quality of life with the following goals: diminishing intestinal inflammatory lesions, relieving symptoms and inducing remission, preventing relapses and complications, as well as maintaining proper nutrition. Appropriate treatment should be adapted to the different clinical-evolutionary forms of Crohn's disease, the succession of different treatment methods being therefore different.

Surgical treatment plays a much more limited role in Crohn's disease than in ulcer-hemorrhagic rectocolitis. Operational interventions are frequently followed by relapses, and surgical resections should be limited to macroscopically affected segments.