title: Epidemiological and clinical features of Spanish patients with Crohn's disease. Spanish Epidemiological and Economic Study Group on Crohn's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiological features, clinical profile and drug utilization patterns of patients with Crohn's disease (CD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of 635 Spanish patients with CD included through a stratified and proportional random sampling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 33 years (SD 11.9) (52% were women). Nine per cent of the patients had a family history of CD and 14% had a history of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Over half (54%) of the patients were smokers. The most frequent localization of CD was ileocolonic involvement (47%). Twelve per cent had peri-anal disease. Regarding symptom pattern, 23% of the patients had chronic active disease and 42% had experienced no relapses during the previous 12 months. Compared with the inflammatory pattern, fistulizing pattern was associated with a significantly higher proportion of patients with chronic active disease, a higher number of relapses per year, and a higher incidence of post-surgical relapses. Sixty-one per cent of the patients had complications and 35% were hospitalized. Acute relapse and bowel stricture were the most common complications. The need for hospitalization was higher in patients with fistulizing pattern. Regarding medication, 77% and 41 % of the patients were taking aminosalicylates and corticosteroids respectively, mainly on a long-term basis. Mean daily doses (MDD) were 2.2 g/day and 31.7 mg/day respectively. Twenty-one per cent had received immunosuppressors with a MDD of 1.6 mg/kg/day. Fifteen per cent of the patients had received metronidazole or ciprofloxacin while 5% were taking anti-diarrhoeal drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spanish patients with CD are young, have frequent hospitalization requirements, complications, and a high consumption of drugs.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000930:Antidiarrheals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000453:epidemiology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000636:Aminosalicylic Acids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000930:Antidiarrheals; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents