Enteropathic Arthritis

Arthropathy associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD)).

An acute inflammatory oligoarthritis presents in some of the patients with IBD. It mostly affects large joints – knees, ankles, hips but wrists and small joints of the hands and feet can also be involved.

  • Dactylitis and enthesopathy are occasionally found
  • It improves with effective treatment of the bowel disease, and can be cured by total colectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis
  • Diarrhea and arthritis are both common

Treatment

  • Crohn’s Disease: anti-TNF agents – Infliximab and adalimumab
  • sulfasalazine
  • Careful with NSAID as they can worsen IBD.