CDassociated

CD-associated is a descriptor used in medical literature to indicate findings, conditions, or complications linked to Crohn's disease (CD). Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by relapsing inflammation that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly the terminal ileum and colon.

The term is applied to a range of manifestations that occur in patients with Crohn's disease, helping to distinguish them from conditions that are not specifically related to CD. Common examples include CD-associated arthritis (including peripheral and axial inflammatory arthritis), CD-associated skin disorders such as erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum, and CD-associated oral lesions. Involvement of the eyes, such as episcleritis or uveitis, is also described as CD-associated. CD-associated fistulizing disease and strictures reflect complications arising from transmural inflammation. In research and pathology, “CD-associated” may refer to neoplasia, histopathologic features, or biomarkers studied within the CD population, such as inflammatory markers or fecal calprotectin.

Usage caveats: the exact meaning of CD-associated depends on context, and CD can stand for other terms in different fields (e.g., compact disc, cluster of differentiation). Authors typically clarify the intended meaning. The descriptor is not a formal disease subtype but a way to annotate associations with Crohn's disease in clinical reporting and research.