Crohns diseaseis an immune-mediated condition that causes inflammation in the body, primarily in the digestive system.
Some hallmark symptoms are fatigue, diarrhea, unintended weight loss, and abdominal pain.
This article will highlight some important facts and statistics about Crohns disease.
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It is a lifelong disease and can be managed but does not currently have a cure.
Crohn’s disease causes deep ulcerations in the intestinal tract.
It can also affect other parts of the body, including the skin, eyes, and joints.
The causes of Crohn’s disease aren’t currently known.
How Common Is Crohns Disease?
Crohn’s disease is considered a common disorder because of the number of people it affects.
In other words, it’s not a rare condition.
Crohn’s disease’s prevalence differs between geographic regions, even in the United States.
However, the prevalence is thought to be increasing.
The increase may be partly because Crohn’s disease is often diagnosed in young people.
IBD affects a substantial proportion of the U.S. population.
However, it is now known that IBD can and does affect people of all ethnicities and backgrounds.
One study showed the rate of IBD in a large group of people.
This effect has also been seen in Canada, another country with higher rates of IBD.
Crohns Disease by Age and Gender
Crohns disease can affect people of all ages and genders.
A 2016 estimate is that out of every 100,000 adults, 198 will have Crohns disease.
For children, this is estimated at 46 per 100,000.
The disease appears to affect men and women roughly equally.
However, among children, there are slightly more cases diagnosed in boys than in girls.
For adults, slightly more cases are diagnosed in women than in men.
Crohns disease and other forms of IBD are diagnosed more often during the tween and teen years.
A complex interaction of factors is thought to lead to the development of Crohn’s disease.
Hundreds of genes have been identified that are related to IBD.
The disease tends to run in families.
What Are the Mortality Rates for Crohns Disease?
It is not common forCrohns disease to be fatal.
Thats not to say people dont ever die from complications from Crohns disease.
IBDs are complex and can affect people severely, causing serious illness and disability.
However, it is not generally thought of as being a fatal disease.
People with Crohns disease are at risk forother health conditions.
These include other immune-mediated conditions like arthritis and more serious diseases, such as some forms of cancer.
Another study showed that certain conditions are more closely associated with mortality in Crohns disease.
Screening and Early Detection
Beingdiagnosed in a timely manneris important to avoidcomplicationsfrom untreated Crohns disease.
However, Crohns disease is not a condition for which there is a regular screening tool.
The diagnosis is based on symptoms leading to testing.
The symptoms of Crohns disease can be similar to many other conditions, making a diagnosis difficult.
Its not considered a fatal disease, but it can be serious and also be associated with other conditions.
Severe disease is possible, however, and some people may have life-threatening complications.
Crohn’s disease is more common in people of European and Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
However, it can affect people of any background and is increasing in some groups of people.
However, these symptoms can occur with many other digestive problems.
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