Review
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol. Nov 15, 2014; 5(4): 560-569
Published online Nov 15, 2014. doi: 10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.560
Patterns of airway involvement in inflammatory bowel diseases
Ilias Papanikolaou, Konstantinos Kagouridis, Spyros A Papiris
Ilias Papanikolaou, Pulmonary Medicine Department, Corfu General Hospital, Gouvia, 49100 Corfu, Greece
Konstantinos Kagouridis, Spyros A Papiris, 2nd Pulmonary Medicine Department, “Attikon” University Hospital, Haidari, 12462 Athens, Greece
Konstantinos Kagouridis, Spyros A Papiris, Athens Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: Papanikolaou I reviewed the literature and contributed to the writing of the paper; Kagouridis K reviewed the literature and contributed to the writing of the paper; Papiris SA critically revised the paper.
Correspondence to: Spyros A Papiris, MD, PhD, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, 2nd Pulmonary Medicine Department, “Attikon” University Hospital, Rimini 1 Street, Haidari, 12462 Athens, Greece. papiris@otenet.gr
Telephone: +30-21-05832361 Fax: +30-21-05326414
Received: June 7, 2014
Revised: August 3, 2014
Accepted: September 6, 2014
Published online: November 15, 2014
Processing time: 164 Days and 21.2 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: The lung is commonly involved in inflammatory bowel diseases; however, airway involvement is often overlooked. This review will help gastroenterologists recognize the involvement of the airways in the context of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), especially stenoses of the large airways, tracheobronchitis, bronchiectasis, bronchitis, mucoid impaction, bronchial granulomas, bronchiolitis, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and the co-existence of IBD with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sarcoidosis and a1-antitrypsin deficiency, and appropriately manage their patients.