title: Gastrointestinal manifestations of dermatologic disorders.
abstract: The skin and the gastrointestinal tract may be affected concurrently by the same diseases. Pathogenetically, these conditions may be primarily dermatologic diseases involving the gastrointestinal (GI) tract or systemic diseases involving the skin, GI tract, and liver simultaneously. The correct diagnosis of such conditions relies on the ability of the gastroenterologist to recognize the underlying dermatologic disorder. The goal of this clinical review article is to increase gastroenterologists' awareness and understanding of some of these conditions. Case vignettes are presented and the relevant literature reviewed for epidermolysis bullosa, mastocytosis, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, and melanoma. This review focuses on increasing gastroenterologists' ability to recognize, diagnose, comprehend, and manage patients with these dermatologic conditions who have GI manifestations. Advances in molecular genetics that provide insight into the underlying pathophysiology and histopathology of these lesions are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Helen M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Kitt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shaffer
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: O'farrell
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Travers
authors.forename: Jane N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.forename: Laren S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Gregory Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Lauwers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004378:Duodenal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D004820:Epidermolysis Bullosa / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D007414:Intestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D007421:Intestine, Small; D007579:Jejunal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D034721:Mastocytosis, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D013683:Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed