Pulmonary function abnormalities in respiratory asymptomatic patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Background: There is evidence that pulmonary function abnormalities are present in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this crossover study was to assess the frequency of pulmonary dysfunction in patients with IBD and to define the importance of possible confounding factors. Methods: We investigated a total of 44 patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and no pulmonary symptoms or a history of respiratory diseases by means of pulmonary function testing and chest X-ray. As controls we examined 44 healthy subjects matched for gender, age, and smoking status. Results: A total of 21% of the subjects with ulcerative colitis and 20% with Crohn’s disease showed an obstructive and/or restrictive ventilatory defect. Pulmonary function abnormalities were significantly more frequent in patients with IBD than in the controls (5%, P