Crohn's disease in Tuzla region of Bosnia and Herzegovina: a 12-year study (1995-2006)

Global, regional and national burden of inflammatory bowel disease in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to provide the most updated estimates on the global burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to improve management strategies.

DESIGN

We extracted data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 database to evaluate IBD burden with different measures in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019.

SETTING

Studies from the GBD 2019 database generated by population-representative data sources identified through a literature review and research collaborations were included.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with an IBD diagnosis.

OUTCOMES

Total numbers, age-standardised rates of prevalence, mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and their estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were the main outcomes.

RESULTS

In 2019, there were approximately 4.9 million cases of IBD worldwide, with China and the USA having the highest number of cases (911 405 and 762 890 (66.9 and 245.3 cases per 100 000 people, respectively)). Between 1990 and 2019, the global age-standardised rates of prevalence, deaths and DALYs decreased (EAPCs=-0.66,-0.69 and -1.04, respectively). However, the age-standardised prevalence rate increased in 13 out of 21 GBD regions. A total of 147 out of 204 countries or territories experienced an increase in the age-standardised prevalence rate. From 1990 to 2019, IBD prevalent cases, deaths and DALYs were higher among females than among males. A higher Socio-demographic Index was associated with higher age-standardised prevalence rates.

CONCLUSIONS

IBD will continue to be a major public health burden due to increasing numbers of prevalent cases, deaths and DALYs. The epidemiological trends and disease burden of IBD have changed dramatically at the regional and national levels, so understanding these changes would be beneficial for policy makers to tackle IBD.

Epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases in Israel: A Nationwide Epi-Israeli IBD Research Nucleus Study

BACKGROUND

There are currently no nationwide data on the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in Israel. We aimed to determine the population-based epidemiological trends of IBD in the diverse Israeli population.

METHODS

Health-administrative data were retrieved from all 4 Israeli health maintenance organizations, insuring 98% of the population, using validated identification algorithms. National trends were determined using Joinpoint regression analysis calculating annual percent change and average annual percent change (AAPC).

RESULTS

By 2019, there were 46,074 patients with IBD in Israel, corresponding to a national prevalence of 519/100,000 (0.52%), of whom 54.1% had Crohn disease (CD) and 45.9% had ulcerative colitis (UC). The number of Jewish patients doubled from 18,701 in 2005 (354/100,000) to 38,950 (589/100,000) in 2018 (AAPC, +4.0%; P < 0.05), and the number of Arab patients increased 3-fold from 1096 (102.1/100,000) to 3534 (240.7/100,000; AAPC, +6.8%; P < 0.05) during the same years. However, the increase rate has gradually decelerated over time (annual percent change during 2005-2008, 2009-2014, and 2005-2018 was +6.7%, +4.2%, and +2.3%, respectively; P < 0.05). Pediatric prevalence increased from 37.4 to 52.2/100,000, with CD predominating in both Jews and Arabs. The incidence of CD remained stable (from 15.9/100,000 to 14.9/100,000) and the incidence of UC decreased (15.4/100,000 to 10.5/100,000 (AAPC, -3.2%; P < 0.001)). In contrast, pediatric incidence of CD increased from 7.3/100,000 to 8.3/100,000 (AAPC, +1.9%; P < 0.05) and that of UC increased from 2.6 to 4.4/100,000 (AAPC, +5.8%; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The IBD prevalence rate in Israel is still increasing but gradually decelerating, probably due to the decreasing overall IBD incidence. Nonetheless, incidence rate in children is still increasing. Ongoing narrowing in the rates between Jews and Arabs over time may indicate shared environmental factors.

The Burden of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Europe in 2020

New data suggest that incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD] are still increasing worldwide, and approximately 0.2% of the European population suffer from IBD at the present time. Medical therapy and disease management have evolved significantly in recent decades, with an emphasis on tight objective monitoring of disease progression and a treat-to-target approach in Europe and also worldwide, aiming to prevent early bowel damage and disability. Surgery rate declined over time in Europe, with 10-30% of CD and 5-10% of UC patients requiring a surgery within 5 years. The health economic burden associated with IBD is high in Europe. Direct health care costs [approximately €3500 in CD and €2000 in UC per patient per year] have shifted from hospitalisation and surgery towards drug-related expenditures with the increasing use of biologic therapy and other novel agents, and substantial indirect costs arise from work productivity loss [approximately €1900 per patient yearly]. The aim of this paper is to provide an updated review of the burden of IBD in Europe by discussing current data on epidemiology, disease course, risk for surgery, hospitalisation, and mortality and cancer risks, as well as the economic aspects, patient disability, and work impairment, by discussing the latest population-based studies from the region.

Inflammatory bowel disease in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia-Herzegovina: A prospective 10-year follow-up

BACKGROUND

The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) vary between regions but have risen globally in recent decades. A lack of data from developing nations limits the understanding of IBD epidemiology.

AIM

To perform a follow-up review of IBD epidemiology in the Tuzla Canton of Bosnia-Herzegovina during a 10-year period (2009-2019).

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated the hospital records of both IBD inpatients and outpatients residing in Tuzla Canton for the specified period of time between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2019. Since all our patients had undergone proximal and distal endoscopic evaluations at the hospital endoscopy unit, we used the hospital’s database as a primary data source, alongside an additional cross-relational search of the database. Both adult and pediatric patients were included in the study. Patients were grouped by IBD type, phenotype, age, and gender. Incidence rates were calculated with age standardization using the European standard population. Trends in incidence and prevalence were evaluated as a 3-year moving average and average annual percentage change rates.

RESULTS

During the 10-year follow-up period, 651 patients diagnosed with IBD were monitored (of whom 334, or 51.3%, were males, and 317, or 48.7%, were females). Of all the patients, 346 (53.1%) had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), 292 (44.9%) with Crohn’s disease (CD), and 13 (2%) with indeterminate colitis (IC). We observed 440 newly diagnosed patients with IBD: 240 (54.5%) with UC, 190 (43.2%) with CD, and 10 (2.3%) with IC. The mean annual crude incidence rates were found to be 9.01/100000 population for IBD [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.17-9.85], with 4.91/100000 (95%CI: 4.29-5.54) for UC and 3.89/100000 (95%CI: 3.34-4.44) for CD. Calculated IBD prevalence in 2019 was 146.64/100000 (95%CI: 128.09-165.19), with 77.94/100000 (95%CI: 68.08-87.70) for UC and 65.77/100000 (95%CI: 54.45-74.1) for CD. The average annual IBD percentage change was 0.79% (95%CI: 0.60-0.88), with -2.82% (95%CI: -2.67 to -2.97) for UC and 6.92% (95%CI: 6.64-7.20) for CD. During the study period, 24,509 distal endoscopic procedures were performed. The incidence of IBD was 3.16/100 examinations (95%CI: 2.86-3.45) or 1.72/100 examinations (95%CI: 1.5-1.94) for UC and 1.36/100 examinations (95%CI: 1.17-1.56) for CD.

CONCLUSION

Trends in the incidence and prevalence of IBD in Tuzla Canton are similar to Eastern European averages, although there are significant epidemiological differences within geographically close and demographically similar areas.

Disease burden of inflammatory bowel disease in China from 1990 to 2017: Findings from the global burden of diseases 2017

BACKGROUND

A comprehensive evaluation of the burden of inflammation bowel disease (IBD) is important for identifying potential strategies to control the disease. We present results from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2017 of IBD at the national level, the trends in disease burden and its epidemiological features in China.

METHODS

Using the methods and results from GBD 2017, we describe the IBD burden based on the prevalence, incidence, mortality, years of lost (YLLs), the years of life lived with disability (YLDs) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in China estimated using DisMod-MR 2·1. We additionally evaluated the rate of DALYs at national locations in 2017.

FINDINGS

From 1990 to 2017, the cases, deaths, YLLs, YLDs and DALYs for IBD in China were from 1,047,991 to 2,665,081, from 5701 to 5198, from 188,814 to 107,373, from 157,581 to 394,887, from 346,396 to 502,260, respectively. Increasing trends were observed in prevalence (APC: 2·9%), incidence (APC: 1·1%), DALYs (APC: 0·8%) and YLDs (APC:2·9%). There were decreasing trends in mortality (APC: -1·0%) and YLLs (APC: -2·7%). As to the age-standardized rates of DALYs, it observed a decreasing trend (APC: -0·78%). Similar trends were observed in men and women. The age-standardized APCs in incidence, mortality and rate of YLLs among women were higher than those among men. The age-standardized rate of DALYs was 27·51 per 100,000 in 2017.

INTERPRETATION

Between 1990 and 2017, China experienced a decrease in the age-standardized DALYs, mortality rates and YLLs due to IBD, despite an increase in the age-standardized rate of prevalence, incidence and YLDs. China is still one of the low endemic areas.

FUNDING

This work had no supporting funding.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Incidence and Prevalence Across Europe

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is often one of the most devastating and debilitating chronic gastrointestinal disorders in children and adolescents. The main objectives here were to systematically review the incidence and prevalence of paediatric IBD across all 51 European states.

METHODS

We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis based on PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, searches of reference lists, grey literature and websites, covering the period from 1970 to 2018.

RESULTS

Incidence rates for both paediatric Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC] were higher in northern Europe than in other European regions. There have been large increases in the incidence of both paediatric CD and UC over the last 50 years, which appear widespread across Europe. The largest increases for CD have been reported from Sweden, Wales, England, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Hungary, and for UC from the Czech Republic, Ireland, Sweden and Hungary. Incidence rates for paediatric CD have increased up to 9 or 10 per 100 000 population in parts of Europe, including Scandinavia, while rates for paediatric UC are often slightly lower than for CD. Prevalence reported for CD ranged from 8.2 per 100 000 to approximately 60 and, for UC, from 8.3 to approximately 30.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of paediatric IBD continues to increase throughout Europe. There is stronger evidence of a north-south than an east-west gradient in incidence across Europe. Further prospective studies are needed, preferably multinational and based on IBD registries, using standardized definitions, methodology and timescales.

Prevalence of Anal Fistulas in Europe: Systematic Literature Reviews and Population-Based Database Analysis

Introduction

Despite the fact that perianal fistulas are associated with significant morbidity and impaired quality of life, their prevalence in Europe is unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of perianal fistulas in Europe, overall and according to etiology.

Methods

Two independent literature reviews were performed using different search strategies to maximize the identification of potentially relevant studies. Data from relevant articles were used to estimate the prevalence of perianal fistulas in Europe. The robustness of the estimate was evaluated using data from a large population-based database from the UK.

Results

A total of 26 studies provided epidemiological data on perianal fistulas, of which 16 provided suitable data to estimate the prevalence. Estimations using these data yielded a total prevalence of 1.69 per 10,000 population. Cryptoglandular infection and Crohn’s disease (CD) were the predominant etiologies, with prevalence rates at 0.86 and 0.76 per 10,000 population, respectively. Comparison of prevalence data from the UK population-based database with the European population resulted in a standardized prevalence estimate of all perianal fistulas of 1.83 per 10,000 population, confirming the robustness of the literature-based estimate.

Conclusion

Although in terms of incidence cryptoglandular fistulas were clearly predominant, the prevalence of fistulas in CD and cryptoglandular infection appeared more balanced. This is due to the longer duration and higher frequency of relapses of fistulas in CD. The estimated prevalence implies that perianal fistulas meet the criteria to be considered as a rare condition in Europe (prevalence less than 5 per 10,000 population).

Funding

This study was funded by Takeda Pharmaceutical U.S.A., Inc. and TiGenix SAU.

Electronic Supplementary Material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s12325-019-01117-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Evolving Epidemiology of IBD

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Once thought a disease of Western civilizations, the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) impose a global burden, now penetrating populations in Asia, Africa, and South America. We summarize similarities and differences in the epidemiology of IBD globally, highlighting gaps in knowledge where future study is needed.

RECENT FINDINGS

While incidence of IBD is stabilizing (or even decreasing) in many westernized regions, prevalence continues to grow due to a young age of onset and low mortality. In newly westernized regions, IBD is beginning to penetrate populations comparable to the rapid increases seen in North America, Europe, and Oceania in the last century. IBD imposes a significant fiscal and resource burden on healthcare systems. As global prevalence of these diseases continues to increase, we desperately need to anticipate the future burden to proactively prepare our healthcare systems for the challenges of increased patient load and aging populations with comorbid conditions and longer disease course.

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Denmark 1980-2013: a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Globally, the incidence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasing; however, data from high-incidence areas are conflicting. Previous studies in Denmark have assessed incidence rates of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) using short observation periods.

AIM

To investigate trends in IBD incidence in Denmark over a thirty-year period using nationwide data.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with CD or UC in Denmark between 1980 and 2013 were identified in the Danish National Patient Registry (NPR) and included in a nationwide cohort. Incidence rates estimated using different numbers of National Patient Registry records (≥1, 2, 3 or 4) required for case definition were compared.

RESULTS

From 1980 to 2013 the incidence of CD increased from 5.2 (95% CI: 5.0-5.4) per 100 000 to 9.1 (95% CI: 8.7-9.5) per 100 000 and the incidence of UC increased from 10.7 (95% CI: 10.4-11.0) per 100 000 to 18.6 (95% CI: 18.0-19.2) per 100 000. The increased incidence in CD and UC was independent of gender. The annual increase in incidence rate was greatest in patients aged <15 years for CD and those older than 15 years for UC. For both CD and UC the incidence rates for females were significantly higher than for males. The number of registry records chosen to define IBD cases greatly influenced incidence estimates.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of IBD in Denmark continues to increase and is among the highest in the world. Using at ≥2 records of IBD diagnosis in the Danish National Patient Registry will result in more valid incidence estimates.

Rising Incidence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Canterbury, New Zealand

BACKGROUND

A population-based study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Canterbury province of New Zealand demonstrated an incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) of 16.5 per 100,000 population in 2004, along with a high rate of IBD overall. At the time, this was one of the highest rates of CD in the world. The current study aimed to ascertain the incidence of IBD in the same area 10 years later.

METHODS

All patients diagnosed with IBD in 2014 within the Canterbury region were identified and characterized. Diagnosis and disease classification were ascertained using standard accepted criteria. Projected population data for age and gender were used to calculate incidence rates for IBD overall and for CD, ulcerative colitis (UC), and inflammatory bowel disease-unclassified (IBDU).

RESULTS

During the 2014 years, 205 patients were diagnosed with IBD in Canterbury. This group comprised 134 patients with CD, 69 with UC, and 2 with IBDU. The age-standardized incidence of IBD, CD, UC, and IBDU was 39.5, 26.4, 12.6, and 0.17 per 100,000, respectively. Disease location of CD patients was evenly distributed (ileal 29%, colonic 35%, and ileocolonic 32%). Similarly, patients with UC had even distribution of proctitis, left-sided, and extensive disease.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates a substantial increase in the incidence of IBD in this geographically well-defined area. Overall, incidence rates were 1.6-fold greater than when assessed 10 years earlier. The reasons contributing to these continued increases remain unclear. However, further increases in rates of IBD indicate growing health system demands in the future.

The global burden of IBD: from 2015 to 2025

Over 1 million residents in the USA and 2.5 million in Europe are estimated to have IBD, with substantial costs for health care. These estimates do not factor in the 'real' price of IBD, which can impede career aspirations, instil social stigma and impair quality of life in patients. The majority of patients are diagnosed early in life and the incidence continues to rise; therefore, the effect of IBD on health-care systems will rise exponentially. Moreover, IBD has emerged in newly industrialized countries in Asia, South America and Middle East and has evolved into a global disease with rising prevalence in every continent. Understanding the worldwide epidemiological patterns of IBD will prepare us to manage the burden of IBD over time. The goal of this article is to establish the current epidemiology of IBD in the Western world, contrast it with the increase in IBD in newly industrialized countries and forecast the global effects of IBD in 2025.

NOD2/CARD15 mutations in Polish and Bosnian populations with and without Crohn's disease: prevalence and genotype-phenotype analysis

Data on prevalence and phenotypic consequences of nucleotide-binding oligomerisation domain 2/caspase recruitment domains 15 (NOD2/CARD15) variants in Crohn's disease (CD) population in Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&amp;H) are nonexistent. We aimed to determine the prevalence of NOD2/CARD15 mutations and their association with disease phenotype in Polish and Bosnian patients with CD and in healthy controls. We prospectively recruited 86 CD patients and 83 controls in Poland and 30 CD patients and 30 controls in B&amp;H, 229 in total. We determined the prevalence of NOD2/CARD15 mutations and their association with the disease phenotype according to Montreal classification. Participants were genotyped for Leu1007fsinsC and Gly908Arg mutations. At least one CD-associated allele was found in 29/86 (33.7%) of Polish CD patients and in 9/83 (10.8%) of healthy controls (p&lt;0.001). In both CD patients and controls in Bosnian sample, at least one NOD2 mutation was found in equal number of patients (3/30; 10%) with all of the NOD2 mutation positive CD patients being homozygous, while controls being heterozygous. In Polish sample, perianal disease was less frequent in CD patients with any NOD2 mutation (1/21; 4.8%) compared to those without (11/41; 26.8%; p=0.046). Higher percentage of patients with NOD2 mutations had history of CD related surgery when compared with those without mutations (66.7% vs. 43.3%; p=0.05). The risk for CD is increased in patients with NOD2 mutations (Poland) and especially in the presence of homozygous NOD2 mutations (Poland and Bosnia). The presence of variant NOD2 alleles is associated with increased need for surgery and reduced occurrence of perianal disease.

The burden of inflammatory bowel disease in Europe

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic disabling gastrointestinal disorders impacting every aspect of the affected individual's life and account for substantial costs to the health care system and society. New epidemiological data suggest that the incidence and prevalence of the diseases are increasing and medical therapy and disease management have changed significantly in the last decade. An estimated 2.5-3 million people in Europe are affected by IBD, with a direct healthcare cost of 4.6-5.6 bn Euros/year. Therefore, the aim of this review is to describe the burden of IBD in Europe by discussing the latest epidemiological data, the disease course and risk for surgery and hospitalization, mortality and cancer risks, as well as the economic aspects, patients' disability and work impairment.

New trends in inflammatory bowel disease epidemiology and disease course in Eastern Europe

Trends in current epidemiological data suggest that the incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases is changing. Eastern Europe previously was seen as a low incidence area; however, new data confirm that incidence and prevalence are quickly increasing in some countries, reaching moderate-to-high incidence as reported in Western European countries. The quality of the studies also improved. Recently, data became available on the natural history of the disease from Eastern European countries. Current trends are similar to those reported from Western Europe and North America, including less complicated disease at diagnosis, accelerated use of immunomodulators and decreased need for surgery in Crohn's disease, more cases of proctitis and relatively low colorectal cancer risk in ulcerative colitis. In addition, in-depth analysis of disease course enabled the identification of possible predictive factors leading to some novel findings, such as the association between the decline in surgery risk and early treatment strategy. In contrast, some unexplained differences exist, such as the low overall colectomy risk in ulcerative colitis.

Population based study of 12 autoimmune diseases in Sardinia, Italy: prevalence and comorbidity

Background

The limited availability of prevalence data based on a representative sample of the general population, and the limited number of diseases considered in studies about co-morbidity are the critical factors in study of autoimmune diseases. This paper describes the prevalence of 12 autoimmune diseases in a representative sample of the general population in the South of Sardinia, Italy, and tests the hypothesis of an overall association among these diseases.

Methods

Data were obtained from 21 GPs. The sample included 25,885 people. Prevalence data were expressed with 95% Poisson C.I. The hypothesis of an overall association between autoimmune diseases was tested by evaluating the co-occurrence within individuals.

Results

Prevalence per 100,000 are: 552 rheumatoid arthritis, 124 ulcerative colitis, 15 Crohn's disease, 464 type 1 diabetes, 81 systemic lupus erythematosus, 124 celiac disease, 35 myasthenia gravis, 939 psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis, 35 systemic sclerosis, 224 multiple sclerosis, 31 Sjogren's syndrome, and 2,619 autoimmune thyroiditis . An overall association between autoimmune disorders was highlighted.

Conclusions

The comparisons with prevalence reported in current literature do not show outlier values, except possibly for a few diseases like celiac disease and myasthenia gravis. People already affected by a first autoimmune disease have a higher probability of being affected by a second autoimmune disorder. In the present study, the sample size, together with the low overall prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the population, did not allow us to examine which diseases are most frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases. However, this paper makes available an adequate control population for future clinical studies aimed at exploring the co-morbidity of specific pairs of autoimmune diseases.

Increasing incidence and prevalence of the inflammatory bowel diseases with time, based on systematic review

BACKGROUND & AIMS

We conducted a systematic review to determine changes in the worldwide incidence and prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in different regions and with time.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature search of MEDLINE (1950-2010; 8103 citations) and EMBASE (1980-2010; 4975 citations) to identify studies that were population based, included data that could be used to calculate incidence and prevalence, and reported separate data on UC and/or CD in full manuscripts (n = 260). We evaluated data from 167 studies from Europe (1930-2008), 52 studies from Asia and the Middle East (1950-2008), and 27 studies from North America (1920-2004). Maps were used to present worldwide differences in the incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs); time trends were determined using joinpoint regression.

RESULTS

The highest annual incidence of UC was 24.3 per 100,000 person-years in Europe, 6.3 per 100,000 person-years in Asia and the Middle East, and 19.2 per 100,000 person-years in North America. The highest annual incidence of CD was 12.7 per 100,000 person-years in Europe, 5.0 person-years in Asia and the Middle East, and 20.2 per 100,000 person-years in North America. The highest reported prevalence values for IBD were in Europe (UC, 505 per 100,000 persons; CD, 322 per 100,000 persons) and North America (UC, 249 per 100,000 persons; CD, 319 per 100,000 persons). In time-trend analyses, 75% of CD studies and 60% of UC studies had an increasing incidence of statistical significance (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Although there are few epidemiologic data from developing countries, the incidence and prevalence of IBD are increasing with time and in different regions around the world, indicating its emergence as a global disease.

Incidence, disease phenotype at diagnosis, and early disease course in inflammatory bowel diseases in Western Hungary, 2002-2006

BACKGROUND

Recent trends indicate a change in the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), with previously low incidence areas now reporting a progressive rise in the incidence. Our aim was to analyze the incidence and disease phenotype at diagnosis in IBD in the population-based Veszprem Province database, which included incident patients diagnosed between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2006.

METHODS

Data of 393 incident patients were analyzed (ulcerative colitis [UC]: 220, age-at-diagnosis: 40.5 years; Crohn's disease [CD]: 163, age-at-diagnosis: 32.5 years; and indeterminate colitis [IC]: 10). Both hospital and outpatient records were collected and comprehensively reviewed.

RESULTS

Adjusted mean incidence rates were 8.9/10(5) person-years for CD and 11.9/10(5) person-years in UC. Peak onset age in both CD and UC patients was 21-30 years old. Location at diagnosis in UC was proctitis in 26.8%, left-sided colitis in 50.9%, and pancolitis in 22.3%. The probability of proximal extension and colectomy after 5 years was 12.7% and 2.8%. The disease location in CD was ileal in 20.2%, colonic in 35.6%, ileocolonic in 44.2%, and upper gastrointestinal in four patients. Behavior at diagnosis was stenosing/penetrating in 35.6% and perianal in 11.1%. Patients with colonic disease were older at diagnosis compared to patients with ileal or ileocolonic disease. In a Kaplan-Meier analysis, probability of surgical resection was 9.8%, 18.5%, and 21.3% after 1, 3, and 5 years of disease duration, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of IBD in Veszprem Province in the last decade was high, equal to that in high-incidence areas in Western European countries. Early disease course is milder compared to data reported in the literature.

Comparison of strictureplasty and endoscopic balloon dilatation for stricturing Crohn's disease--review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Stricturing Crohn's disease is accompanied by a high-risk for bowel resection and subsequent short bowel syndrome. Strictureplasty (SP) and endoscopic balloon dilatation (EBD) have been developed to prevent, or at least delay, the requirement for resection. The goal of this study was to compare the outcome of these two procedures with regard to complications and disease recurrence.

METHODS

We conducted a MEDLINE literature search to give a current overview about the safety and efficacy of EBD and SP.

RESULTS

The initial search yielded 744 articles. Case reports, reviews and meta-analyses were excluded. Finally, 63 articles (SP, 40 articles; EBD, 23 articles) were used for the review. None of the studies compared the two methods directly. A total of 2,532 patients (SP, n = 1,958; EBD, n = 574) were included. The incidence of perioperative complications after SP was 11% and the incidence of major complications was 5%. The median surgical recurrence rate was 24% after a median follow-up of 46 months. The median technical success for EBD was 90%. Major complications occurred in 3% of the cases. According to an intention-to-treat protocol, the median surgical recurrence rate was 27.6%. Per-protocol analysis revealed a median surgical recurrence rate of 21.4% after a median follow-up of 21 months.

CONCLUSION

Due to the lack of comparable data, there is currently no reliable information on whether one treatment option is superior to the other. Regarding the limited applicability of EBD in strictures of the small bowel, only a controlled trial would provide evidence as a basis for clinical decision making in CD strictures that are potentially treatable by EBD and SP.

Circulating cytokines reflect mucosal inflammatory status in patients with Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

There is a great need for a simple activity assessment tool that can reliably predict activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

AIM

To investigate the relationship between serum cytokines and endoscopic activity of CD using Crohn's Disease Endoscopic Index of Severity (CDEIS) as a gold standard.

METHODS

We prospectively evaluated 32 firmly established CD patients using ileocolonoscopy, CDEIS score, and Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score. Blood samples for cytokine analysis were obtained 1 day prior to procedure.

RESULTS

The correlation between CDEIS and CDAI was moderate (r = 0.43; P = 0.01); however, the correlation between CDEIS and inflammatory cytokines was excellent, with the highest coefficients for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (r = 0.96 and r = 0.96, respectively; P < 0.001). CDEIS and anti-inflammatory cytokines were correlated nonlinearly (power function). We identified two separate models for predicting CDEIS value, based on the best performing pro-inflammatory [CDEIS = 0.445 x (IL-6) - 5,143] and anti-inflammatory [CDEIS = 27.478 x (IL-10)(-0.71)] cytokines. Both IL-6 and IL-10 models had high adjusted R(2) values (0.916 and 0.954, respectively). IL-6 had excellent diagnostic accuracy for detecting patients with CDEIS >7 (active disease), with area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 1.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.89-1.0; P < 0.001].

CONCLUSION

Serum cytokine levels are excellent predictors of endoscopic activity in patients with CD.

Ulcerative colitis in the Tuzla region of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1995 and 2006: epidemiological and clinical characteristics

BACKGROUND

Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) is one of the Eastern European countries that lacks data on the epidemiology of ulcerative colitis (UC).

AIMS

We aimed to assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of UC in Tuzla Canton of B&H during a 12-year period (1995-2006).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated hospital records of both UC inpatients and outpatients residing in Tuzla Canton of B&H (total of 496 280 inhabitants) between 1995 and 2006. Patients that firmly satisfied the diagnostic criteria for UC were included in the study. Incidence rates were calculated with age standardization using European population standards. Trends in incidence were evaluated as moving 3-year averages.

RESULTS

During the observed period, 214 patients met the diagnostic criteria for UC. The average age-standardized incidence was found to be 3.43/10 inhabitants [95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.97-3.89], ranging from 0.22 to 7.44 per 10. The mean annual crude incidence in the last 5 years of study (2002-2006) was 5.55/10 (95% CI = 4.63-6.48). The prevalence of UC during the observed period was found to be 43.1/10 (95% CI = 37.3-48.8). The incidence of UC increased dramatically from the average of 1.01/10 in the period between 1995 and 1997 to 6.04/10 between 2004 and 2006, as did the number of colonoscopies performed, from 29 in 1995 to 850 in 2006. The average yearly incidence of confirmed UC cases detected on colonoscopy was 5.56 per 100 colonoscopies per year (95% CI = 4.81-6.30) and only 3.92 per 100 colonoscopies (95% CI = 3.26-4.57) in the last 5 years of the observed period.

CONCLUSION

Tuzla Canton of B&H is a region with an increasing incidence of UC, which is most likely a direct consequence of a wider use of colonoscopy. We believe that in the next few years, the incidence of UC in this region will probably reach the annual incidence rate of 6 per 10 inhabitants.

Recent insights in the epidemiology of autoimmune diseases: improved prevalence estimates and understanding of clustering of diseases

Previous studies have estimated a prevalence of a broad grouping of autoimmune diseases of 3.2%, based on literature review of studies published between 1965 and 1995, and 5.3%, based on national hospitalization registry data in Denmark. We examine more recent studies pertaining to the prevalence of 29 autoimmune diseases, and use these data to correct for the underascertainment of some diseases in the hospitalization registry data. This analysis results in an estimated prevalence of 7.6-9.4%, depending on the size of the correction factor used. The rates for most diseases for which data are available from many geographic regions span overlapping ranges. We also review studies of the co-occurrence of diseases within individuals and within families, focusing on specific pairs of diseases to better distinguish patterns that may result in insights pertaining to shared etiological pathways. Overall, data support a tendency for autoimmune diseases to co-occur at greater than expected rates within proband patients and their families, but this does not appear to be a uniform phenomenon across all diseases. Multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis is one disease pair that appears to have a decreased chance of coexistence.