Chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestine. Extra-intestinal manifestations and perianal complications

Extraintestinal manifestations and perianal complications were examined in 69 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and in 29 patients with Crohn's disease (CD). 17.5% of patients with UC presented an extraintestinal manifestation or a perianal disease against 48% of patients with CD. Over all, joint disease turned out to be the most frequent manifestation, but its frequency is significantly higher in patients with CD (27%) than in those with UC (3%). In the latter the most frequent disease is cholelithiasis (7%). This percentage is the same in both groups of patients. In 1.5% of patients with UC and in 14% of patients with CD perianal complications appeared; all patients with CD showed a colonic involvement.