Smoking impacts both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). A patient with an inflammatory bowel disease who smokes needs to take these effects into account.
Parameter
Crohn's Disease
Ulcerative Colitis
smoking
increases disease activity and exacerbations
decreases disease activity; protects
smoking cessation
decreases disease activity
increases disease activity
impact of smoking cessation on relapse rate
decreases relapse rate
increases relapse rate
impact of smoking cessation on drug use
decreases medication use
increases medication use
impact of smoking cessation on surgery
may decrease the need for surgery
may increase the need for surgery
Smoking cessation is essential for any patient with inflammatory bowel disease.
The immediate and long-term benefits of smoking cessation are more obvious for Crohn's Disease.
A patient with ulcerative colitis may require additional support to stop smoking if it causes the disease to become worse.
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