| Abstrakt: |
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, commonly face the additional burden of extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs). The most frequently occurring of these EIMs are musculoskeletal problems, with axial spondyloarthritis reported as affecting as many as 12% of IBD patients. This inflammatory condition, which primarily affects the spine, results in pain, stiffness and reduced quality of life. The social consequences of the condition are significant, with patients more likely to have depression and/or retire early from work and less likely to have children. In recent years, there have been advances in the treatment of this chronic, debilitating condition. However, delay to diagnosis still remains high, at an average of 8.5 years. Gastrointestinal nurses have the potential to identify patients attending gastroenterology clinics who exhibit symptoms that are suggestive of spondyloarthritis. This could have an important influence on the time taken to get a diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
