title: Familial aggregation of inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based study in South Limburg, The Netherlands. The South Limburg IBD Study Group.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in first-degree relatives of IBD patients living in a well-defined area.
  
  
  METHODS
  IBD patients known at the IBD Registration South Limburg as well as population controls were asked about the occurrence of IBD in their first-degree relatives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IBD was reported and confirmed in 16 (out of 1554) relatives by 11 (out of 245) patients. Prevalence of IBD was highest for siblings (1.5%) and children (1.3%), while only 0.2% of the parents were affected with IBD. Among relatives of the control subjects, IBD was observed in 0.8% (versus 4.5% in IBD patients), resulting in an odds ratio of 5.7 (95% CI: 2.0-16.7).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed risk of IBD for first-degree relatives of IBD patients was higher than in controls. However, the risk in our population is lower than has been reported by other centres, possibly because of the population-based character of our study.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Russel
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Pastoor
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: van Deursen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Muris
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: van Wijlick
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Stockbrügger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology