title: Incidence of ulcerative colitis in Central Greece: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the incidence of ulcerative colitis UC in the prefecture of Trikala, Central Greece.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective and population based epidemiological study of UC from 1990 to the end of 1994 was conducted. Trikala is a semirural prefecture of Central Greece with a population of 138 946 (census 1991). Three gastroenterologists (one hospital based, two private doctors) of the prefecture participated in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 66 new histologically verified cases of UC were recorded. The mean annual incidence of the disease in 1990-1994 was 11.2 per 10(5) inhabitants (95%CI: 8.7-14.3). There was no difference between men and women (annual incidence: 10.5 and 12.0 per 10(5) inhabitants respectively), either among urban, semirural or rural populations (annual incidence: 11.7, 17.1 and 9.9 per 10(5) inhabitants respectively). The majority (56%) of the patients never smoked and a quarter were ex-smokers. About a half of all cases had proctitis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UC is common in Central Greece and its incidence is similar to that in North-Western European countries.
authors.affiliation: 23 Sisini Street, 11528 Athens, Greece. sdladas@hol.gr
authors.forename: Spiros-D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ladas
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mallas
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Giorgiotis
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karamanolis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trigonis
authors.forename: Apostolos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markadas
authors.forename: Vana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sipsa
authors.forename: Sotirios-A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Raptis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data