Cutaneous Manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Basic Overview

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Dermatology
• Immunology

Background:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), encompassing Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic gastrointestinal inflammatory condition.
• IBD can manifest with extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) affecting various organs, including the skin.
• Cutaneous EIMs affect up to 15% of IBD patients, sometimes preceding the GI diagnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and histology of common cutaneous EIMs in IBD.
• To discuss management strategies for skin manifestations in IBD patients.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of epidemiological, clinical, diagnostic, and histological features of cutaneous EIMs in IBD.
• Categorization of cutaneous EIMs into specific, reactive, associated, and treatment-induced.

Main Results:

• Cutaneous EIMs are common in IBD, presenting diverse clinical and histological findings.
• Understanding these EIMs is crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Conclusions:

• Cutaneous EIMs are significant complications of IBD that require thorough evaluation and management.
• This review provides a framework for recognizing and treating skin manifestations in IBD patients.