Hey there, today we will tell you about the key differences between ulcerative colitis and chron’s disease. Both of these conditions are part of inflammatory bowel disease, but their differences make them unique.
5 differences between Ulcerative disease and Chron’s disease
- Ulcerative Colitis has a higher global prevalence, with approximately 1.86 billion diagnosed patients and 1.54 billion receiving treatment. In contrast, Crohn’s disease has a lower prevalence, with only 1.3 million diagnosed patients and 0.8 million receiving treatment.
- Localization in the GI tract: Ulcerative colitis is primarily localized to the large intestine or colon, whereas Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Severity of Inflammation: In ulcerative colitis, inflammation is limited to the colon’s innermost lining; in Crohn’s disease, inflammation penetrates deeper into the intestinal wall.
- Symptoms: Common symptoms of ulcerative colitis include bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and urgency to have bowel movements. The symptoms of Crohn’s, however, can vary widely and include abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, fever, and malnutrition.
- Complications of ulcerative colitis include severe bleeding, perforation of the colon, toxic megacolon, and increased risk of colon cancer. Common complications of Crohn’s disease include narrowing of the intestine, fistula formation, abscesses, and increased risk of intestinal cancer.
