What Is Enteropathic Arthritis?
Your healthcare provider may also refer to enteropathic arthritis by another name: seronegative spondyloarthropathy.
Who Gets Enteropathic Arthritis?
Up to 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis will develop enteropathic arthritis. Most of these people will develop arthritis within the knees, hips, ankles, elbows, or wrists. These are known as peripheral joints. About 5 percent will develop enteropathic arthritis in the spine. Males and females are equally likely to develop this condition. Enteropathic arthritis is more common in teenagers and young adults.
What Causes Enteropathic Arthritis?
Arthritis research scientists and doctors do not know the exact cause or causes of enteropathic arthritis. It is possible that genetics plays a role. A genetic factor, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) B27 may increase a person's chances of developing enteropathic arthritis in some situations.
For example, in people with IBD, there is no increased frequency in HLA-B27 for those that develop peripheral arthritis (knees, hips, hands, ankles, etc). However, up to 75 percent of people with an IBD and enteropathic arthritis of the spine test positive for HLA-B27.
Inheriting the HLA-B27 gene does not necessarily mean a person with IBD will get enteropathic arthritis. Eight percent of healthy people have the HLA-B27 gene.