Summary
In summary, diarrhea is a frequent complaint in patients with IBD, with a complex pathophysiologic basis. In any patient presenting with a new inflammatory diarrhea, a wide variety of etiologies must be considered, including a new diagnosis of UC or CD. In patients with pre-existing IBD, the prudent clinician must consider not only a potential exacerbation of their documented disease but also a number of other potential confounding conditions. A focused but thorough medical history, physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and imaging studies may be useful. Endoscopic examination of the upper or the lower digestive tracts may be necessary in the majority of patients. There are a number of antidiarrheal therapies that may be used for symptomatic control in these patients; however the treatment of the underlying disease is the primary goal.
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Bernick, S., Kane, S. (2010). Inflammatory Bowel Disease. In: Guandalini, S., Vaziri, H. (eds) Diarrhea. Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-183-7_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60761-183-7_3
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