Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Northeast of Iran
731-735
Correspondence
***Physician, Golestan Research Centre of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. E-mail: s_besharat_gp@yahoo.com. Tel: 0098-171-2240835, Fax: 0098-171-2269210. Address: Research Deputy, Falsafi Medical University, West entrance of Gorgan city, Golestan Province, Iran.
This study was designed to provide the clinical and epidemiological data on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the Golestan province (northeast of Iran). We carried out a retrospective study with regards to all IBD patients (pathologically confirmed cases) during 2001- 2004.
Registered cases were 108 [104 with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and 4 with Crohn's disease (CD)]. Information about age, sex, education, colitis extent, extra intestinal manifestations, the lag between onset of the disease, and time of final diagnosis, were recruited. Data were analyzed using SPSS –V12 analytical software.
There was a slight female predominance in UC cases. Most of the cases (83.3%) were highly educated, and 65.7% were living in urban areas. Patients with US mainly presented with diarrhoea, whereas those with CD complained of abdominal pain. The predominant form of UC was left sided colitis, which affected almost 35.4% of patients. The most extensive form (pan colitis) was present in 22.1%. Mean age was significantly different with regards to anatomical sites; patients with proctitis was younger than other groups (p =0.001). The mean lag time between the onset of symptoms and definite diagnosis was 2.2 1.1 and 5 months in UC and CD, respectively. Extra intestinal manifestations were seen in 10 patients.
In the Golestan province, IBD is predominant in females, and its most severe form is higher than that documented in European studies.