CUTANEOUS CROHN DISEASE

Course overview

CROHN DISEASE, A WELL-KNOWN SUBTYPE OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, IS AN INFLAMMATORY CONDITION OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT WITH NUMEROUS POSSIBLE EXTRA-INTESTINAL MANIFESTATIONS. APPROXIMATELY 40% OF ALL PATIENTS AFFECTED BY CROHN DISEASE EXPERIENCE AT LEAST ONE EXTRA-INTESTINAL MANIFESTATION OF THE DISEASE, WITH THE SKIN BEING THE MOST COMMON SITE OF EXTRA-INTESTINAL INVOLVEMENT. OTHER COMMON LOCATIONS OF EXTRA-INTESTINAL INVOLVEMENT INCLUDE THE EYES, JOINTS, AND HEPATOBILIARY SYSTEM. INTERESTINGLY, AN EXTRA-INTESTINAL MANIFESTATION MAY PRECEDE THE FORMAL DIAGNOSIS OF CROHN DISEASE IN ABOUT 25% OF PATIENTS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CROHN AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.