Comorbid Inflammatory Diseases of Digestive System and Eye

Abstract

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, which are often accompanied by inflammation of other organs. This article presents modern data on etiology, pathogenesis and clinical course of inflammatory bowel diseases, as well as information on extraintestinal eye manifestations of nonspecific ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The role of microbiota, genetic factors, immune system defects in pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation and extraintestinal eye manifestations is considered. The possibility the development of ophthalmopathology not only against the background of intestinal inflammation, but also as a consequence of therapeutic and surgical methods of treatment of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease is noted. The peculiarities of the course of episcleritis/scleritis, keratitis, uveitis, chorioretinitis, optical neuritis for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases are considered. The presence of these complications may reflect the activity of the underlying disease, which in some cases requires correction of therapy. Anterior uveitis and episcleritis/scleritis are the most common extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammation of tissues of the posterior segment of the eye and optic nerve against the background of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are less common, but are of clinical importance, as they can catastrophically damage the structures of the eye and, as a consequence, lead to complete blindness. Considering the possibility of mild clinical symptoms and asymptomatic course of inflammation in the eye envelopes, the importance of ophthalmological examination of all patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease is emphasized. Aspects of modern therapy of ophthalmopathology and background intestinal inflammation are highlighted. Biological preparations — antagonists of pro-inflammatory cytokines — have been identified as the most promising in the treatment of inflammatory intestinal diseases and extraintestinal manifestations. The important role of proper nutrition and biologically active supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, microelements, was noted as auxiliary therapy of both intestinal and extraintestinal inflammation.

Keywords

• inflammatory bowel diseases
• nonspecific ulcerative colitis
• crohn’s disease
• episcleritis
• scleritis
• keratitis
• uveitis
• chorioretinitis
• retinitis
• optic neuritis
• biological preparations
• omega-3
• -6
• -9 fatty acids
• vitamin d