Re: help?

Posted By HFHSM.D.-jg on July 30, 1998 at 21:28:12:

In Reply to: help? posted by chris on July 27, 1998 at 10:15:19:






i have recantly been diagnosed with crohns and im a smoker aswell i would like to now if this will affect me . as it has not for 3 months but someone told me it might do please help
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Dear Chris:
Current published research data suggested that cigarette smokers have a higher incidence of Crohns disease when compared to their nonsmoking counterparts.  In addition, smoking appears to have an adverse effect on the clinical course in patients with Crohns disease.  Studies have shown that Crohns disease patients who continue to smoke had a higher relapse rate of the disease and more surgical interventions for stricture/obstruction.  Female patients with Crohns disease who smoke had worse osteoporosis than nonsmokers.  
In contrast to the exacerbation of Crohns disease by smoking, there is controversial evidence that patients with ULCERATIVE COLITIS (another type of inflammatory bowel disease) who smoke have a more benign course than nonsmokers.  This observation lead to studies of the possible therapeutic role of the nicotine patch for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.  At present, we do not believe that nicotine improves the course of ulcerative colitis.
HFHSM.D.-jg
*keywords; Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis
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