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It can be scary when you know that you have a lifelong medical condition that may reduce your life expectancy. However, this condition does not cause potential mortality. Crohn’s disease life expectancy improves if treated with the appropriate medications, care, and surgical treatments. In the information below, this gives more detail regarding Crohn’s disease.
What is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease belongs to the group of medical conditions known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is a long-term condition that develops in the gastrointestinal tract. This affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) from the mouth to the anus, and especially the small intestine. Furthermore, this includes symptoms such as:
- Diarrhoea (which can sometimes be bloody).
- Abdominal pain & cramps.
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
Inflammatory bowel disease can be Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn’s disease can influence any part of the GIT; however, Ulcerative Colitis is confined to the large intestine (colon) only. Crohn’s disease can develop at any stage of life, but it is mostly younger adults affected by the disease.
Is Crohn’s a Fatal Disease?
Crohn’s disease is not fatal itself but it can lead to conditions and complications that can cause mortality if not treated properly. From approximately 2016 to 2018, 11% of the population were diagnosed with the disease in the UK. Most people commonly suffer from this ailment in their early 20’s and 30s’.
According to gastroenterologists, Crohn’s disease life expectancy can improve due to appropriate medications, treatments, and surgical methods. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation advises that people with Crohn’s have the same life expectancy as those not suffering from the disease.
Which Patients with Crohn's Disease are at High Risk of Mortality?
According to the WHO, patients with Crohn’s disease require increased health care than those without this ailment. There are however some life-threatening conditions they can face in the later stages of life if not treated properly.
- Heart diseases
- Respiratory ailments
- Cancers
- Migraine/Headaches
- Liver Diseases
- Kidney Diseases
Due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic, studies have found that Crohn’s disease has increased admissions to hospitals. The international organisation for the study of inflammatory bowel diseases advises that such patients should get fully vaccinated with the COVID vaccine. Furthermore, women with less dietary fibre in their diet and who have a higher sugar intake via beverages are more likely to suffer from this disease.
Risk Factors Affecting the Life Expectancy:
Individuals with the risk factors listed below are more susceptible to Crohn’s disease.
Gender
This disease includes males and females in an equal ratio. However, females in their late 50s are more likely to be affected by this disease.
Medications
These play a significant role in the treatment of the disease. The medication you take to control this ailment depends on timing, quality, frequency, and follow-ups.
Smoking
This is also a contributing factor to the disease. Individuals who smoke have a higher risk of having this disease, thus decreasing Crohn’s disease life expectancy.
Age
Crohn’s disease mainly involves individuals between 15-30 years of age. There is less chance of children having exposure to this disease. Women in their late 50s may develop this condition.
Severity
Severity of the disease depends upon its location in the GIT tract and the environment of the other organs and systems, but the contributing factors may worsen the severity and thus decrease the life expectancy of people with Crohn’s disease.
Risk of Prolonged Inflammation
Crohn’s disease mainly affects the small bowel, but the inflammation is prolonged due to a poor diet, not taking the appropriate medications, or other associated conditions. The disease may get worse hence decreasing Crohn’s disease life expectancy.
Severe Complications of Crohn's Disease
Should Crohn’s disease not be treated in a timely manner or a patient does not take adequate medications, this may lead to life-threatening complications.
Colorectal Cancer
Crohn’s disease involves the intestine, which may cause cancerous lesions in the colon. Studies have shown that individuals who have Crohn’s disease are at more risk of colorectal cancer than people without this disease.
Intestinal Obstruction
This is the most common and fatal complication of this disease. Inflammation of the bowel wall can lead to swelling or scar formation. Narrowing of the wall is called ‘stricture formation,’ which needs surgical intervention.
This stricture can cause bowel obstruction and it is important that surgical intervention is performed. If surgery is not performed on time, this may lead to complications, such as bowel perforation.
Fistulas
Fistulas may be located in the intestine or may reach out to other tissues such as the bladder. Perianal fistulas are another common presentation of Crohn’s disease.
If the fistula becomes infected, it creates an abscess, and it can only be treated by medication and surgery. According to a survey, 30% of people establish fistulas in Crohn’s disease.
Perforated Colon
A hole in the bowel is a leading cause to the decrease in Crohn’s disease life expectancy. It may cause bowel content to enter the abdomen, which causes severe infection. Bacteria enters the abdominal cavity and lead to severe peritonitis (stomach infection). Surgery is the immediate solution.
Toxic Megacolon
It is a rare complication of Crohn’s disease, but this is a fatal complication. The colon fails to contract; thus, distending the abdomen to an alarming level. If not treated immediately, this leads to sepsis and ultimately, perforation of the colon.
Disease Caused by Severe Cases of Crohn’s
Crohn’s disease life expectancy is not affected if treated with proper medications, but, if left untreated, it may lead to severe conditions:
Mouth ulcers
Mouth ulcers are one of the most common presentations of Crohn’s disease and are treated with medications.
Anemia
Anaemia occurs when red blood cells in the blood decrease; thus, the oxygen-carrying capacity of the lungs also decreases. Bloody diarrhoea is one of the most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease, which causes anaemia compromising the function of other body organs.
Kidney Stones
These are calculi seen in the kidneys due to increased calcium absorption in Chron’s disease. This is a painful condition which is associated with fever, vomiting, and nausea.
Nutritional Deficiencies
The body requires several vitamins and minerals for proper functioning. In Crohn’s disease, many of these vitamins and minerals are not absorbed from the body resulting in nutritional deficiencies.
Treatment of Crohn’s Disease
There are many treatment options available for Crohn’s disease. The primary option for treating Crohn’s disease is medical treatment. However, surgery may need to be performed in cases for which medical treatment fails.
Numerous drugs have been introduced to treat the cause and reduce the disease severity. Most of the time, medications are enough to treat the symptoms of the disease. There is no single method to treat all the patients with Crohn’s disease. Every patient is different and has their own requirements.
Following are the group of medications in the broad term mainly involved in treating the disease.
Aminosalicylates
These include drugs that contain 5-aminosalicylic acid as a major component. They work by reducing the inflammation of the lining of GIT. These drugs work best in the colon, but they may have no effect if the disease is confined to the small intestine. These drugs are primarily taken orally.
Immunomodulators
This class of drugs is primarily used to alter the body’s immune function, thus reducing inflammation in the long term. These medications are helpful for those individuals who stopped responding to aminosalicylates and corticosteroids. These drugs may take several weeks to months to start their action.
Corticosteroids
These medications also reduce the inflammation of the GIT by checking the body’s immune system. Budesonide, a corticosteroid primarily present in the distal bowel (terminal ileum), reduces mild to moderate inflammation of Crohn’s disease.
Due to their side effects, corticosteroids are used mainly for the short-term treatment of the disease. These drugs cannot be stopped abruptly due to their side effects on the adrenal glands.
Antibiotics
These medications treat infections like abscesses and fistula formation in the later stages of Crohn’s disease. These drugs also help treat the fistulas around the anus and the vagina.
Surgery
Most individuals respond to the drugs, and they do not have to opt for surgery. However, 60-75% of persons may not respond to medications. Surgery aims to conserve the bowel’s normal function and maintain the quality of life.
Managing the Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease
The best possible way to treat Crohn’s disease is to take the physician’s prescribed medications. If they do not work, it is important to contact your physician.
SUMMARY
Crohn’s disease is a severe ailment and needs immediate treatment. Medications taken on a timely manner helps reduce the symptoms and disorders produced by the disease. Like many other long-term conditions, this takes some time to recover from the symptoms completely. Feel free to reach Mr Ahmed for treatment of this disease.
References
Will Crohn’s Disease Shorten My Life Span? (n.d.). Retrieved from Everyday Health: https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/crohns-disease-treatment-management/crohns-disease-life-expectancy/
Fact sheet – Crohn’s & colitis foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved from Crohn’s Colitis Foundation: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/sites/default/files/legacy/assets/pdfs/intestinalcomps.pdf
Can Crohn’s Disease Be Fatal? What to Know About Life Expectancy. (n.d.). Retrieved from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/can-you-die-from-crohns-disease
Updated IBD Factbook – Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. (n.d.). Retrieved from Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2019-02/Updated%20IBD%20Factbook.pdf
Colorectal cancer in Crohn’s disease: a Scandinavian population-based cohort study. (14 February 2020). Retrieved from The Lancet: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(20)30005-4/fulltext
Game of Crohn’s: We Break Down How Crohn’s Affects Life Expectancy. (10 June 2021). Retrieved from Greatist: https://greatist.com/crohns/crohns-disease-life-expectancy
Life expectancy and health-adjusted life expectancy in people with inflammatory bowel disease. (9 November 2020). Retrieved from National Library of Medicine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7669301/
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). (n.d.). Retrieved from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/ibd/data-statistics.htm
