Evaluation of dermatological findings in inflammatory bowel disease and their evaluation according to sociodemographic characteristics

Objective: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorders affecting the gastrointestinal system. These diseases frequently involve extraintestinal manifestations, among which cutaneous involvement occupies an important place. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of dermatological findings in patients diagnosed with IBD and to evaluate their relationship with disease subtypes and sociodemographic characteristics. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted jointly by the Departments of Dermatology and Gastroenterology at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine. Between December 2024 and July 2025, a total of 100 patients diagnosed with IBD (53 with ulcerative colitis, 46 with Crohn's disease, and 1 with indeterminate colitis) who provided informed consent were evaluated. All patients underwent a detailed dermatological examination, and data regarding clinical features, sociodemographic characteristics, treatments, and comorbidities were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 24.0 software with appropriate statistical tests. Results: The mean age of the participants was 40 years, and the gender distribution was similar between males and females. The disease course was generally long-term, and more than half of the patients had at least one systemic comorbidity. Approximately one- fourth of the patients with Crohn's disease exhibited specific cutaneous involvement consistent with "cutaneous contiguous Crohn's disease." Such involvement was not observed in the ulcerative colitis group. Inflammatory skin findings included oral aphthous stomatitis, psoriasis, erythema nodosum, and pyoderma gangrenosum. In addition, various dermatological conditions such as paradoxical psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, vitiligo, seborrheic dermatitis, and fungal or viral infections were also observed. Among cutaneous adverse effects related to IBD treatment, corticosteroid-induced acneiform eruptions were the most common. Patients receiving anti-TNF therapy presented paradoxical psoriasis and injection site reactions. A significant number of patients also exhibited superficial fungal infections such as tinea pedis, candidal intertrigo, and onychomycosis. Regarding sociodemographic variables, no statistically significant relationship was found between dermatological manifestations and factors such as gender, birthplace, residence, or smoking status. The presence of comorbidities was not significantly associated with the frequency of dermatological findings. Conclusion: Dermatological manifestations are common in inflammatory bowel diseases and may appear in a wide clinical spectrum. Specific skin involvement is more prominent in Crohn's disease compared to ulcerative colitis. Early recognition of dermatological findings accompanying IBD positively contributes to disease management and improves quality of life. This study emphasizes that dermatological findings are an integral part of IBD and highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the follow-up and management of these patients.