Asthma: an increased risk for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

People with inflammatory bowel disease appear 1.5 times more likely than average to asthma, suggest the results of a Canadian study published in "Gastroenterology".

While previous studies of inflammatory bowel disease have established the existence of a link with other chronic inflammatory diseases, the research team led by Dr. Charles Bernstein, of the University of Manitoba Winnipeg could also identify an association with asthma.

To achieve this, they have reviewed the database of the University of Manitoba, which identifies patients seen in the province, according to the pathology involved. This allowed them to identify 8,072 patients with inflammatory bowel disease (3879 cases of ulcerative colitis or ulcerative colitis and 4,193 cases of Crohn's disease) as well as a group ten times less-people "control" for the paired age, sex and place of residence.

The link between inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic inflammatory conditions was investigated by analyzing the frequency with which the various participants were identified using a system of care for autoimmune disease or chronic inflammatory.

This analysis enabled the authors found that people with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease are also more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis, bronchitis, psoriasis or pericarditis.

In addition, patients with ulcerative colitis seem to be at increased risk of developing multiple sclerosis and chronic renal disease.

But the researchers observed especially in comparison to the general population, patients with ulcerative colitis to show 1.5 to 1.7 times more likely to have asthma, while for people suffering from a disease Crohn's disease, asthma risk is multiplied by 1.3 to 1.4.

In fact, this respiratory disease has emerged as the most frequently identified comorbidity in people with Crohn's disease, while it ranks second in terms of frequency in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Not knowing whether these associations occur because the conditions taken into account may have a common origin or that the complications of the disease can result in the appearance of another illness, the authors of this study believe that additional research is required to identify the triggers of autoimmune diseases.

In an editorial accompanying the study, Dr. Edward Loftus, of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester (Minnesota), notes that lung diseases are manifestations underestimated in inflammatory bowel disease and recalls that these disorders, s' they are not treated, can have long-term a significant deleterious effect on the health of the patient.

"As Bernstein and his colleagues point out in their conclusions, respiratory disorders complained of people with inflammatory bowel disease should be taken seriously, and concerned patients should probably at least be a function evaluation lung, "he says.