Diagnosing Arthritis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with two types of joint problems:  Arthritis and arthralgia, or joint pain without inflammation which can affect 40-50% of patients. Diagnosing arthritis in IBD patients can be confusing. IBD patients can be afflicted by various forms of arthritis from peripheral arthritis to ankylosing spondylitis and symmetrical polyarthritis. In this slideshow, we address identification, diagnosis and treatment for these complex cases as told by Timothy R. Orchard, M.D., a gastroenterologist with St. Mary's Hospital of Imperial College in London, from his article in the journal Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 

References:

Timothy R. Orchard, M.D. “Management of Arthritis in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease,”Gastroenterology and Hepatology. May 2012. PMCID: PMC3424429