Ulcerative Colitis vs. Crohn’s Disease

Because Crohn's and UC are so closely similar in symptoms it is important to make the distinction between the two, especially as the doctor evaluates the patient for treatment options. The management and treatment for these two different diagnoses will vary, so it is important to differentiate Crohn's Disease from Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn's Disease can affect any part of the Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract, but Ulcerative Colitis affects only the colon. Additionally, while Crohn's Disease can affect all layers of the bowel wall, Ulcerative Colitis only affects the lining of the colon.

	Crohn’s Disease	Ulcerative Colitis
Location	Mouth to anus involvement	Colon only
Inflammation Pattern	Patchy	Continuous
Inflammation Level	Full-thickness	Superficial
Involvement	Variable	Variable
Extra-intestinal Manifestations	Yes	Yes
Strictures	Yes	Yes
Fistulae	Yes	No
Increased Colorectal Cancer risk	Yes, if colon involvement with longstanding colitis	Yes

 

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