Prognosis

• most patients have a chronic intermittent disease course, while 13% have an unremitting disease course and 10% have a prolonged remission
• less than half require corticosteroids at any point
• during any given year, approximately 10% are treated with corticosteroids and 30% are treated with 5-aminosalicylates
• up to 57% of patients require at least one surgical resection
• about one tenth of patients have prolonged remission (1)
• nearly 75% of patients have a chronic intermittent course, and about one eighth have an unremitting course
• if the patient has both small and large bowel disease then about 70% will require surgical intervention.

The atypical form of Crohn's is an acute ileitis. This, unlike other forms of Crohn's, does not recur and may represent a completely different disease.

The excess mortality in patients with Crohn's disease is approximately double that of the general population. This is due to the complications of active disease.

Reference:

1. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002 Jan;16(1):51-60