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Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. May 28, 2009; 15(20): 2443-2448
Published online May 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.2443
Gastrointestinal lesions associated with spondyloarthropathies
Ambrogio Orlando, Sara Renna, Giovanni Perricone, Mario Cottone
Ambrogio Orlando, Sara Renna, Giovanni Perricone, Mario Cottone, Department of General Medicine, Pneumology and Nutrition Clinic, “V. Cervello” Hospital, Palermo University, 90146 Palermo, Italy
Author contributions: Orlando A designed the study, prepared the article and finally approved the final version; Renna S searched literature, revised the article; Perricone G and Cottone M participated in preparing the article.
Correspondence to: Ambrogio Orlando, MD, Department of General Medicine, Pneumology and Nutrition Clinic, “V. Cervello” Hospital, Palermo University, 90146 Palermo, Italy. ambrogiorlando@alice.it
Telephone: +39-91-6802764
Fax: +39-91-6885111
Received: February 6, 2009
Revised: March 18, 2009
Accepted: March 25, 2009
Published online: May 28, 2009
Abstract

Subclinical gut inflammation has been described in up to two-thirds of patients with spondyloarthropathies (SpA). Arthritis represents an extra-intestinal manifestation of several gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Whipple’s disease, Behcet’s disease, celiac disease, intestinal bypass surgery, parasitic infections of the gut and pseudomembranous colitis. Moreover about two-thirds of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug users demonstrate intestinal inflammation. Arthritis may manifest as a peripheral or axial arthritis. The spondyloarthropathy family consists of the following entities: ankylosing spondylitis, undifferentiated spondyloarthritis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis associated with IBD, juvenile onset spondyloarthritis. This topic reviews the major gastrointestinal manifestations that can occur in patients with SpA and in nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs users.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal diseases; Inflammation; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Crohn’s disease; Arthritis; Spondylosis; Ankylosing spondylitis; Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs