Advances in diagnosis and therapy for upper gastrointestinal Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a chronic, relapsing and remitting inflammatory process that can involve the entire length of the gastrointestinal tract. Upper gastrointestinal involvement (UGI) in Crohn's disease is present in up to 15% of patients and can present as a diagnostic challenge given nonspecific symptoms and overlapping disease entities. This review provides an update on diagnosing and risk stratifying UGI-CD.

Literature suggests the use of imaging modalities (such as video capsule endoscopy, cross-sectional imaging and intestinal ultrasound) to help identify proximal inflammation when clinical suspicion for UGI involvement exists based on symptoms and patient factors. Additionally, proximal disease involvement has been associated with increased disease severity, a higher prevalence of strictures and an increased risk for surgery. First-line therapies are corticosteroids and antitumor necrosis factor therapies if systemic treatment is needed based on disease severity. For stricturing disease, endoscopic balloon dilation, strictureplasty, surgical resection or bypass can be considered for medically refractory or recurrent disease.

As the prevalence and progression of UGI-CD is still understudied due to its variable definition, presentation and incidence, the development of a standardized approach to diagnosis could aid in determining the overall prevalence and most effective treatments.