Background - Crohn's disease can affect all the gastrointestinal tract, but gastroduodenal involvement is rarely seen (0,5 to 13%). Objectives - Report clinical, radiological and endoscopic findings and treatment of four patients with gastroduodenal Crohn's disease and review the literature. Patients and methods - Four patients (one male of 24 years old and three females of 37, 66 and 74 years old) with epigastric pain, weight loss and low grade fever were referred to the University Hospitals of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Fluminense Federal University. Two had also mild intermitent diarrhea and arthritis/arthralgia and the third developed pyloric obstruction and received surgical treatment. Anemia was observed in only one (the young female). Barium x-ray studies showed aphtous ulcers in stomach and duodenum with distal ileum lesions and deformity in both. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed aphtous ulcers in stomach and geographic duodenal ulcers. Polipoid lesions and serpiginous ulcers within gastric antrum were observed in the young female. Colonoscopy was performed in two patients and disclosed an ulcerated ileitis in one and ulcerated pancolitis in other. Histopathology findings of biopsy specimens were inconclusive (granulomas were not found) and other causes of granulomatous disease were ruled out. Corticosteroids and proton pump inhibitors were started and two patients had their disease controlled. The other patient developed pyloric obstruction and had to be operated. Conclusions - Gastroduodenal Crohn's disease has distinct clinical, therapeutic and prognostic features. Advances in endoscopic methods and recognition of new histopathologic criterias for diagnosis have revealed an incidence higher than previously reported.
Crohn disease; Stomach diseases; Duodenal diseases
