[Conceptual and hypothetical contributions to the pathogenesis of enteritis regionalis (Crohn's disease)]

Crohn's disease (CD) is a multifactorial disorder. The aim of this study was to clarify the pathogenesis of CD by analyzing the clinical data of patients treated at our institute in the last ten years. The authors observed several clinical, pathological and submicroscopic features of Crohn's disease which are characteristic of Selye's concept of stress. The authors propose the hypothesis that CD is initiated by some non-specific chronic stressors which impede cellular homeostasis in the early phase of the disease. Accordingly, extrinsic factors alter the permeability of the very sensitive surface- and intracellular dynamic "liquid" lipoprotein membranes. The primary cell-membrane damage leads to the development of erosions and ulcers which become gateways for intramural penetration of pathogenic microbes from the bowel flora. Thus the changes of the terminal ileum do not represent the initial, but presumably a later stage of the disease. Histological and ultrastructural abnormalities of membrane-structures were found in patients with CD, suggesting, that extra-intestinal manifestations of CD may be explained by these membrane-structural changes in the cells of the neuroendocrine system. Namely, the wall of small blood vessels, the myelinated nerves and some parts of the retina are also rich in such membranes. Several data in the literature indicate that premature birth, damage of embryo and fetus are more frequent in mothers with CD, and these damages are associated with the deleterious effect of glucocorticoids.