Skin-deep connections: likelihood of skin-scarring history in patients with stricturing/penetrating Crohn disease compared with patients with nonstricturing/nonpenetrating disease and non-inflammatory bowel disease controls.

Abstract

Patients with stricturing/penetrating Crohn disease had significantly more hypertrophic/keloid scars than those with nonstricturing disease in this cross-sectional proof-of-concept study, suggesting potential shared fibrotic mechanisms between cutaneous and intestinal fibrosis. If corroborated in larger and more longitudinal cohorts, overcoming potential confounders such as postsurgical scars, this novel association may help identify patients at risk and facilitate development of targeted antifibrotic therapies.