Identifying Key Predictors of Metastatic Cutaneous Crohn's Disease: A Case-Control Study

Metastatic cutaneous Crohn's disease (MCD) is a rare cutaneous manifestation of Crohn's disease (CD) with significant morbidity, yet understanding is limited to case reports and small series. We aimed to identify risk factors associated with MCD development.

This retrospective case-control study (January 2016-January 2024) included patients with MCD confirmed using Delphi Panel criteria and controls with gastrointestinal CD, matched 1:2 by age and sex. Demographic factors, CD characteristics, medication history, surgical history, and extraintestinal manifestations were assessed by chart review. Odds ratios were calculated using conditional logistic regression.

Among 474 patients screened, 61 cases were matched with 122 controls. 77.0% were women with no significant differences in smoking history or body mass index between groups. Factors significantly associated with increased MCD odds included perianal CD (OR 6.79, 95% CI 1.47-31.36, P = 0.014) and ostomy history (OR 72.65, 95% CI 3.50-1,505.92, P = 0.006).

These findings represent an important step toward understanding MCD's pathogenesis and may inform future translational studies.