title: Oesophageal presentation of Crohn's disease.
abstract: Crohn's disease (CD) is characterised by a transmural inflammatory process, which can affect any part of the digestive tract; however, CD with oesophageal presentation is rare. We report a case of a previously healthy young woman with symptoms of dysphagia, odynophagia, chest pain and weight loss, who presented oesophageal ulcers at upper endoscopy and whose histology revealed granulomatous oesophagitis. After complementary study, a mild ileocaecal involvement of CD was demonstrated. The patient became asymptomatic with proton pump inhibitor and a course of prednisolone. Mucosal healing was obtained after maintenance therapy with azathioprine. In the absence of extraoesophageal symptoms, oesophageal CD may be overlooked. CD must always be considered as differential diagnosis in the presence of oesophageal ulcers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9966-1348
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: Maria João
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, Guimarães, Portugal.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira-Guimarães, Guimarães, Portugal.|School of Medicine, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cotter
mesh_terms: D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060046:Maintenance Chemotherapy; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine