Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disease in Spondyloarthritis.

The association of inflammatory arthritis with intestinal pathology extends back more than 100 years. This association is now supported by epidemiologic studies demonstrating an elevated prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in spondyloarthritis and vice versa, compared with the general population. Genetic and intestinal microbiome studies have further linked these diseases. Although diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease disproportionately affect individuals with psoriatic arthritis, diseases of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, and liver are not particularly common in spondyloarthritis. Clinicians should be aware of the differential diagnosis and the appropriate diagnostic tools available when evaluating digestive and hepatic disorders in spondyloarthritis.