Increasing rates and changing patterns of hospital admissions for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Ireland: 1996-2001.
BACKGROUND
The inflammatory bowel diseases require frequent hospital visits. The literature suggests that the incidence of IBD may be increasing.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the pattern of admissions of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to hospital over a five-year period (between 1996 and 2001).


METHODS
We obtained national data regarding admission rates for patients with IBD from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) during the years 1996 and 2001. Local data were gathered from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) scheme for the same years.


RESULTS
Over this five-year period, there has been a substantial increase in the rate of admission with IBD (58% for Crohn's disease and 25% for ulcerative colitis), in particular in the number of day-case admissions for patients with Crohn's disease (125%). There has been little change in the number of patients undergoing surgery for their disease (Crohn's disease; 24% vs 20% and Ulcerative colitis; 17% vs 16.6%) and in the length of hospital stay.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite an increase in the rate of admission with IBD, there has been little change in the rates of surgical intervention and length of stay. The most dramatic increase was seen in the day-case admissions for patients with Crohn's disease and may reflect the use of anti-TNFalpha (infliximab) in the treatment of this disease.
Smyth
C M
CM
Dept of Gastroenterology and Surgery, Beaumont Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin. clairesmyth@eircom.net
Picha
S Bacheer
SB
Rathore
O
O
Deasy
J
J
Patchett
S E
SE
Murray
F E
FE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate