RHEUMATIC PATHOLOGIES IN SUBJECTS WITH INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are commonly associated with rheumatic diseases of the joints. Sixty-five patients were selected during a 5-year study period. All patients were analyzed with clinical, laboratory and radiographic exams. 38 patients had ulcerative colitis (mean age 42.1 years, range: 19-75) and 27 patients had Crohn's disease (CD) (mean age 37.2 years, range: 17-64 years). Arthritis occurred in 11 patients (17%): 7 with UC (18.4%) and 4 with CD (14.8%). The mean age of patients with arthritis was 35 and mean disease duration of pain and limitation symptom was 28 months. In 9 patients, arthritis appeared after the onset of bowel symptoms with mean duration of 20 months in UC and 24 months in CD; in two patients, arthritis preceded the onset of bowel symptoms some months before. The objective of this article is to establish to establish the incidence and clinical characteristics of arthritis in a group of patients suffering from CD and UC.