Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease
- Can affect any part of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus, but most commonly affects the end of the small bowel (ileum) and the beginning of the colon
- Can affect the entire thickness of the bowel wall
- Inflammation of the intestine can “skip,” or leave normal areas in between patches of diseased intestine
- IBD affects an estimated 3 million Americans. Men and women are equally likely to be affected by Crohn's disease.
- The disease can occur at any age, but Crohn’s disease is most often diagnosed in adolescents and adults between the ages of 20 and 30.
- Studies have shown that between 1.5 percent and 28 percent of people with IBD have a first-degree relative, such as a parent, child, or sibling, who also has one of the diseases.
- Even though there is genetic component associated with increased risk of IBD, it is impossible to predict who may get Crohn’s disease based on family history.
- Crohn’s disease can affect people from all ethnic backgrounds. The disease is more common in Caucasians, though the rates of Crohn’s disease have increased among Hispanics and Asians in recent years.
Reference
https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-crohns-disease/overview
