Medical board to submit report on treatment course for P. Chidambaram at 2.30pm: Here's a detailed look at what Crohn’s Disease is

Former finance minister P. Chidambaram was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday after he complained of severe stomach pain. According to his family doctor, Dr Nageshwar Reddy of the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad, the 74-year-old has Crohn’s Disease. A medical board formed to determine the right course of treatment for the senior Congress leader is expected to submit its report to the Delhi High Court today afternoon. Crohn’s is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that typically affects the intestines. Patients often experience excruciating pain, fatigue and weight loss. They also become malnourished as their body is unable to absorb nutrients from the food they eat. In some cases, patients can get diarrhoea, blood in the stool, and mouth sores. [caption id=“attachment_7585631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] Chidambaram, who has been placed in judicial custody till 13 November in the INX Media money-laundering case, has reportedly lost five kilograms in a matter of weeks during his time in Tihar jail. He has been admitted to the hospital multiple times in the past month.

 Crohn’s in India

While there is no reliable data on the incidence of Crohn’s disease in India, medical practitioners agree that the number of cases is rising. Writing in the  Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, Dr Govind Makharia (AIIMS) et al., said: “Traditionally IBD (irritable bowel disease) is thought to be uncommon in India; UC (ulcerative colitis) is seen more often but CD (Crohn’s Disease) is being reported now from every part of India.” The article, based on a 2003 study by The Indian Society of Gastroenterology’s Task Force on Inflammatory Bowel Disease, also said that men are thrice as likely to get Crohn’s disease as women, and though one can get this disease at any age, the mean age of patients with Crohn’s in India is 35.9 years.

Complications of Crohn’s Disease

Apart from diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain and cramping, Crohn’s disease can lead to complications such as:

• Bowel obstruction: Chronic inflammation can make the walls of the intestine thicker. As a result, food and digestive enzymes have to squeeze through a narrower opening. This can cause scarring in the intestines. Eventually, a part of the bowel can become blocked and may require surgery.
• Ulcers, fistulas and abscesses: People with Crohn’s disease can get ulcers in the digestive tract, anywhere from the mouth to the anus. Sometimes these ulcers can push through the wall of the intestine and create a fistula - an opening in the intestine that can then connect the bowel to the skin or to another organ like the stomach. If the fistula becomes infected, it can lead to an abscess (pus build-up).
• Anal fissures: Straining to pass stools can cause small tears around the anus which can become infected.

Course of treatment

Currently, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease. Doctors can, however, prescribe drugs and therapies to manage the symptoms. For example, doctors may prescribe corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. Some antibiotics can help to reduce the drainage from the anus and heal anal fistulas. Anti-diarrhoea medicine, vitamin and iron supplements and painkillers are often prescribed to people with Crohn’s. A healthy diet with lots of fibre is important for people living with this condition - the high court has allowed Chidambaram to receive home-cooked meals while he’s in custody. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court had asked AIIMS to form a medical board to look into the treatment options for Chidambaram. The board is expected to submit its report to the court today afternoon. Chidambaram’s lawyer, former Union minister Kapil Sibal, had requested the court to make a sterile environment available to him to improve his health. Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health. For more information, please read our article on   Crohn’s Disease: Symptoms and Treatment_._