Crohns Disease and Complexion
09.25.09
Crohns disease is a chronic inflammatory condition involving the small intestine, most often the lower part called the ileum. However, inflammation may also affect the entire digestive tract, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, duodenum, appendix or anus. Crohns disease is also called ileitis or enteritis.
Crohns disease affects a half million Americans, many aged 15 to 35 years.
Previous studies of vitamin D status in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease have revealed conflicting results. We sought to report (1) the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D concentration < or = 15 ng/mL) in a large population with inflammatory bowel disease, (2) factors predisposing to this problem, and (3) its relationship to bone health and serum parathyroid hormone concentration.
Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Factors predisposing to the problem include having a dark-skin complexion, winter season, lack of vitamin D supplementation, early stage of disease, more severe disease, and upper gastrointestinal tract involvement in patients with Crohns disease.
The long-term significance of vitamin D deficiency for this population is unknown at present and merits additional study. A 42-year-old blond Caucasian woman taking azathioprine for 8 years developed an intra-epidermal carcinoma of the shin. She regularly used a sun bed to maintain a tan. Although the increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in immunosuppressed transplant recipients is well recognized, patients with Crohns disease are not currently warned of the risk of exposure to ultraviolet light.
Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease who take azathioprine, especially those with a fair complexion, should be informed of the potential dangers of sun bathing and should be advised to limit sun exposure. Spleen Deficiency – may be due to constitutional deficiency or overeating cold and raw food.
Patients with Crohns disease usually have spleen deficiency characterized by a compromised ability of the spleen to transform and transport food. Symptoms include frequent and severe diarrhea, watery stool with undigested food, dull abdominal pain, poor appetite, poor digestion, gastric discomfort after food intake, pale facial complexion, fatigue and lethargy due to chronic malabsorption and malnutrition.
Diagnostic criteria for this type of ulcerative colitis includes loose bowels made worse by poor lifestyle habits or consumption of greasy foods, undigested foods in the stools, lack of appetite, distention, fatigue and sallow complexion. On examination, the tongue is pale and covered by white fur; the pulse is weak and thready. Diagnostic criteria for this type include diarrhea with mucus or darkish blood, straining for defecation, fixed stabbing pain, distention, belching and a darkish complexion. On examination, the tongue is purple with bleeding spots; the pulse is taut and hesitant.
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