title: A prospective epidemiologic study of Crohn's disease in Heraklion, Crete. Incidence over a 5-year period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There has been an impression from published work that Crohn's disease is less common in southern than in northern Europe. A low incidence of Crohn's disease has been observed in Greece, but conclusive data are still lacking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 5-year prospective and population-based epidemiologic study of Crohn's disease was carried out in a well-defined area of Crete.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean annual incidence of the disease for the years 1990-94 was 3.0 per 10(5) inhabitants. During the study period the incidence increased from 1.9/10(5) in 1990 to 3.8/10(5) in 1994. The male to female ratio was 2.4:1. The age group 25-34 years had the highest age-adjusted incidence (6.3/10(5)). The incidence of Crohn's disease was also found to be higher in smokers, in urban areas, and in people with high educational level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crohn's disease is common in Heraklion, Crete. The findings of the study are discussed in relation to those of other European countries.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Greece.
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Manousos
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Koutroubakis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Potamianos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roussomoustakaki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gourtsoyiannis
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Vlachonikolis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population