Crohn’s Disease

1. Crohn’s Disease By: anniecantrell 5th hour 1-27-11

2. Symptoms of crohn’s disease • Symptoms of Crohn’s disease include: • Diarrhea – the most common sign of this disease. • Abdominal pain and cramping – in mild cases the pain is not as intense as for severe cases. • Blood in your stool – blood may be bright red or a dull brown, it may also be invisible. • Ulcers – may occur in mouth (like a canker sore) or on the actual intestine. • Reduced appetite and weight loss – your ability to digest food is implicated with this disease. • Other common symptoms: fever, fatigue, arthritis, eye inflammation, skin disorders, inflammation in bile ducts or liver. • Crohn’s affects and is found in your intestines and other bowels.

3. Genetics and environment • Not much is known on what causes Crohn’s disease, but there is a genetic link. • Crohn’s disease is autosomal – Crohn’sis seen on more than one chromosome in an affected person. • The chromosomes – 16, 5, and 10. • Risk factors for Crohn’s– smoking, being left-handed, getting your appendix removed as an adult, abusing anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. • Crohn’s is more common in – developed countries, white-collar workers, individuals with indoor jobs. • Just woman risk factors – women who take contrapositives are two times more likely to develop Crohn’s • Second-hand smoke is just as likely to affect Crohn’s as first-hand smoke.

4. How common is crohn’s disease? • About 7 of every 100,000 people in the US have Crohn’s disease (highest in the world) • Is Crohn’s gender specific? Crohn’s does not favor one gender over another but there is a slightly higher number of men with the disease. • Different races are affected differently - In the US and European nations, Crohn’s is more common in Jewish people by 2-4 people. Crohn’s is also more commonly seen in whites than African- Americans and Asians. • Age group for Crohn’s– Any one can get Crohn’s at any time. However, it usually diagnosed in the age groups 15 – 30 and 60-80. • Other country’s stats – In Europe, South Africa and Australia the rate is 1-3 out of 100,000. In South America and Asia the rate is 1 out of every 100,000 • About 20% of those living with Crohn’s have a blood relative with the disease.

5. Can you live with Crohn’s? • Crohn’s is a lifelong or chronic disease, meaning it will never fully go away. • Living with Crohn’s varies from person to person - A person can live with Crohn’s, however surgery is required about 60% of the time. • Half of the patients who receive one surgery need another - 5- 10% of the people living with Crohn’s die because no amount can remove their infection. • The severity of Crohn’s changes - someone with Crohn’s may be symptom free for a period of time or have a period when it is extremely gruesome. • Crohn’s requires a special diet – A person living with Crohn’s is advised to not eat milk products or drink milk. The person also should try to have a well- balanced diet with the proper amount of proteins and calories. • Stress and anxiety can make the symptoms of Crohn’s worse, but are not a cause of the actual disease.

6. Treating crohn’s disease • Treatment steps for Crohn’s include: • Cortisone or steroids – A large amount is usually required to get the disease under control of the doctors. Patient won’t need the drug forever. • Anti- Inflammatory drugs– Doctors use a group of 5 drugs to maintain control of the disease and keep bowels from swelling. • Immune system suppressors – There are two main drugs used in this process to control the immune system in especially active cases. These are used for long term care. • Inflixmab (remicade) – This is used in severe cases to bring down swelling, the drug is given over several hours. • Antibiotics – Bacterial infection goes along in most cases of Crohn’s disease and antibiotics are used to cure those and not treat the actual disease. • Surgery may be needed to remove part of the diseased bowel or drain them.

7. Interesting facts about crohn’s • Interesting facts on Crohn’s: • People who are left-handed are two times more likely to develop Crohn’s • If your brother or sister has Crohn’s disease you are 30% more likely to have it. • If the disease runs in your family then you are at a 20% chance. • Many doctors are studying treatments for Crohn’s that are less stressful and painful than surgery. • Crohn’s is studied with Ulcerative Colitis, together they are referred to as Inflammatory Bowel Disease or IBD. • Looking at someone will not tell you or indicate they have Crohn’s because it is strictly a bowel disease. • Men with Crohn’s may not be able to produce children due to infertility.

8. Pictures This is a picture of a small intestine with Crohn’s disease. To the left is a picture of where Crohn’s is located (labeled IBD). To the right is my cousin who has Crohn’s disease.

9. Support groups for crohn’s disease • Support groups for those living with Crohn’s do exist! • www.mdjunction.com/crohn-disease • www.inspire.com/groups/crohns-disease/ • www.dailystrength.org/c/Crohns-Disease-Ulcerative-Colitis/support-group • There may be a support group within your community, or you can start your own!

10. resources • http://www.crohns.net/Miva/education/articles/Risk_Factors.shtml • http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/04/17/23647.aspx?page=2 • http://www.ccfa.org/reuters/geneticlink