Rheumatologic Involvement in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Updated Evidence on Spondyloarthritis and the Case for Integrated Care

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are part of the group of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), autoimmune and chronic conditions that primarily affect the gastrointestinal tract. However, extraintestinal manifestations may also be present, especially spondyloarthritis (SpA). Purpose: This study aimed to highlight the prevalence of extraintestinal manifestations, focusing on SpA, in association with IBD, emphasizing the importance of early awareness for appropriate follow-up with specialists. Methods: This narrative literature review was based on a clinical and epidemiological search for information on patients with CD or UC concomitant with SpA. The period covered was 2011–2025, using the databases SciELO and PubMed, with descriptors such as 'Crohn Disease,' 'Colitis, Ulcerative,' 'Inflammatory Bowel Diseases,' 'Spondyloarthritis,' 'Sacroiliitis,' 'Arthritis,' 'Prevalence,' 'Epidemiology,' and 'Frequency'. Results and Discussion: The results reveal a significant prevalence of musculoskeletal involvement in association with IBD, with particular emphasis on the higher prevalence of axial SpA associated with CD. Final Considerations: When present, extraintestinal manifestation associated with IBD should be diagnosed early in order to enable an integrated therapeutic management, addressing both comorbidities, with the aim of reducing morbidity and mortality in these patients, preventing disease progression, and providing quality of life through appropriate case management and follow-up by gastroenterology and rheumatology specialists.