Association between ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis

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Volume 37 Issue 10 Page 721-724, October 2007

To cite this article: C. S. Pokorny, R. G. Beran, M. J. Pokorny (2007) Association between ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis Internal Medicine Journal 37 (10), 721–724. doi:10.1111/j.1445-5994.2007.01452.x

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Association between ulcerative colitis and multiple sclerosis

S. Pokorny, Suite 1, 17 Street, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia.Email: c.pokorny@...

Abstract

An association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) has been described. The current study was undertaken to explore this association further. Personal records of patients with IBD and MS were reviewed. In addition, a search of medical records at a large tertiary teaching hospital in Sydney was carried out for the years 1996–2006. Four patients (three women and one man) with both ulcerative colitis and MS were identified. MS did not occur in any of our patients with Crohn’s disease. The association between ulcerative colitis and MS appears to be real and may help identify common factors involved in the cause of these two diseases. No association was found in this study between MS and Crohn’s disease, sparking consideration why such difference should occur. With the increasing use of biological therapies in IBD and their reported propensity to cause demyelination, recognition of an association is all the more important.

[Guest guest]

The paper posted by on " Association between ulcerative

colitis and multiple sclerosis " seems to give the impression that

multiple sclerosis is only found in association with ulcerative

colitis. I'd just like to clarify that others have reported Crohn's

disease and multiple sclerosis occurring together:

Presse Med. 1997 Jun 7;26(19):892-4.

Morbid associations in Crohn's disease. Study of a series of 832

patients.

Beaugerie L, Lamy P, Ganne N, Carbonnel F, Le Quintrec Y, Cosnes J,

Gendre JP

Service d'Hépatogastroentérologie, Hôpital Rothschild, Paris.

laurent.beaugerie@...

OBJECTIVES: Depending its frequency, the association in the same

subject of Crohn's disease and another pathology can be fortuitous or

the expression of genetic or environmental interrelationships. The

aim of our study was to identify among a series of patients with

Crohn's disease preliminary data which would be suggestive of a

significant association between Crohn's disease and other

pathologies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Personal and familial histories

were collected in 832 patients with Crohn's disease who were seen

consecutively in the same hospital clinic from 1974 to 1994. RESULTS:

We found 4 cases (0.5%) of associated Crohn's disease-multiple

sclerosis and Crohn's disease-rheumatoid purpura in the same patient.

Each of the following genetic diseases was associated with Crohn's

disease in one patient (0.1%): Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease,

deuteroanopia, multiple exostosis, familial ichthyosis, periodic

disease. CONCLUSION: We describe for the first time sporadic cases of

associated Crohn's disease and another rare disease, Charcot-Marie-

Tooth disease, familial ichthyosis and periodic disease. We suggest

that there is a significant interrelationship between personal and

familial histories of Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis which

should be verified in prospective studies. PMID: 9232057.

Dave

(father of (23); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03)

[Guest guest]

Do you have any more information about this? We are about to start

Pearl Ann on biologics tomorrow and am a little concerned about this.

She is a small child so she could be in this for the long haul.