Extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease

UC and CD commonly manifest signs and symptoms of extraintestinal disease. Patients with evidence of disease extrinsic to the gastrointestinal tract should be considered to have an associated complication of their underlying IBD. Patients with persistent signs or symptoms of EIMs should be evaluated for IBD if not previously diagnosed. Data on EIMs of IBD in children are lacking compared with those in adults (Table 2), and may be revealing in light of recent studies suggesting unique aspects of early-onset IBD compared with older patients (91,92). Information pertaining to the incidence and prevalence of EIMs of IBD in children is essential to improve our understanding of the natural history and associated EIMs in children with IBD. Copyright © 2007 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.