Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract that can affect any part from the mouth to the anus, but has a particular tendency to affect the lower part of the small bowel or the first part of the large bowel. The condition generally affects young people with a peak incidence between the ages of 10 and 40. However, it can affect people of any age and 15% of patients are over the age of 60 at diagnosis.

People with Crohn’s disease have recurrent attacks with acute flare-ups of the disease interspersed with periods of remission or less active disease. Once started, Crohn's disease tends to be a life-long condition.

It is estimated that there could be as many as 90,000 people in the UK with the disease with healthcare costs estimated at £300 million.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease include:

• Diarrhoea – a sudden, urgent need to use a toilet. This may contain blood, pus or mucus. It can happen up to 10 or 20 times a day, as well as during the night.
• Pain, often described as cramping or colicky. The abdomen may be sore and swollen.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weight loss.
• Fever.
• Rectal bleeding. This may be serious and persistent and can lead to anaemia
• Painful tears (fissures), ulceration or pus-filled areas (abscesses) around the anus.

Active Crohn's disease may also cause problems in the rest of the body, such as mouth ulcers, pain in the joints, eye inflammation, and rashes (tender red lumps called erythema nodosum) or ulcers (called pyoderma) on the skin.

With chronic, severe inflammation, complications may develop. These include a fistula - an abnormal connection between the bowel and a neighbouring part of the body, such as the bladder, vagina, or another loop of bowel. Fistulas may lead to recurrent infections of the urinary or genital tracts. Other complications can include an abscess (collection of pus) inside the abdomen or a stricture, a narrowing of the bowel caused by scar tissue that can obstruct the passage of material through the bowel.

Core has funded a number of research projects into Crohn’s Disease:

Dr Charlotte Hedin, Kings College London

Dr Andrew Brain, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford University

Dr Clive Onnie, King's College London

Mr Phil Tozer, Imperial College London

Dr Ann Williams, University of Bristol