T. Ranzi et al., EPIDEMIOLOGIC ASPECTS OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE IN A NORTH ITALIAN POPULATION - A 4-YEAR PROSPECTIVE-STUDY, European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology, 8(7), 1996, pp. 657-661
Objective: To determine the incidence and clinical characteristics at
presentation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a defined area of
north Italy. Design: A 4-year prospective population-based epidemiolog
ical study. Setting: An area in Lombardia defined by the National Heal
th Service scheme with about 294 000 inhabitants, two referral hospita
ls and 259 general practitioners (GPs). Patients: Subjects presenting
to a GP with symptoms compatible with IBD underwent a diagnostic work-
up at one of the referral hospitals. Those with ulcerative colitis (UC
), Crohn's disease (CD) or indeterminate colitis diagnosed according t
o a defined protocol were included, as were residents of the area with
IBD diagnosed elsewhere. Rigid case ascertainment methods were used.
Patients were followed for one year; 125 patients were identified. Res
ults: The patient ascertainment rate was constant over the 4 years; UC
was diagnosed in 82 patients, CD in 40, and indeterminate colitis in
three. The mean annual incidence of IBD for the whole period was 10.6/
10(5) inhabitants (95% confidence limits, 7.2-15.1), 7.0/10(5) for UC
(4.3-10.7) and 3.4/10(5) (1.6-6.3) for CD. The mean interval between o
nset of symptoms and diagnosis was under 6 months. The clinical charac
teristics of our patients were similar to those of north European and
American series. Conclusion: The incidence of IBD was higher than prev
iously observed in Italy but was still lower than in some north Europe
an countries and in the USA. Our data could be used as a basis for fut
ure longitudinal studies and in international comparative investigatio
ns.