Fistulizing Crohn's Disease.

ABSTRACT: Fistulas still represent one of the most important complications in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). At least one third of CD patients suffer from fistulas during their disease course and amongst them longstanding remission of complex fistulas occurs only in about one third. So far, fistula pathogenesis is only partially understood. From a histopathological view, a fistula is a tube covered by flat epithelial cells. Current research suggests that the driving force for fistula development is epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Around the fistula, high levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-13, and TGFβ can be detected and recent studies indicated an involvement of the intestinal microbiota. Fistula diagnosis requires clinical and surgical assessment, radiologic investigations,

SUBMITTER: Scharl M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5539341 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature