Oral Crohn disease: clinical characteristics and long-term follow-up of 9 cases.
BACKGROUND
Oral localization of Crohn disease is uncommon and must be differentiated from nonspecific lesions. Its natural course and its long-term prognosis are unknown.


METHODS
We studied 9 patients (8 male, 1 female; age range, 7-52 years; median age, 16 years) with Crohn disease and specific oral lesions, including deep linear ulcers, pseudopolyps, and/or labial or buccal swelling and induration. The prevalence of such lesions was 0.5%. The median follow-up was 11 years. Oral localization developed before (n = 2), at the same time as (n = 2), or after (n = 5) the onset of the digestive disease. Noticeable associated localizations were observed in the anoperineum (n = 8) and the esophagus (n = 3). The median duration of the oral lesions was 4 years (range, 1-13 years), without necessary parallelism with the digestive localization. Five patients had complete healing after a median delay of 2 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral localization of Crohn disease is characterized by a marked male predominance, a young age at onset of Crohn disease, and a very protracted course. The high prevalence of associated anal and esophageal involvement suggests that Crohn lesions have a particular trophicity for squamous cell epithelium.
Dupuy
A
A
Department of Dermatology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Creteil, France.
Cosnes
J
J
Revuz
J
J
Delchier
J C
JC
Gendre
J P
JP
Cosnes
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors