Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in the Songpa-Kangdong district, Seoul, Korea, 1986-2005: a KASID study.
BACKGROUND
Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are considered rare diseases in developing countries. We have evaluated the incidence and prevalence of CD and UC over time in a district of Seoul, Korea.


METHODS
A population-based study was performed from 1986 to 2005 in the Songpa-Kangdong district of Seoul. To recruit patients as completely as possible, multiple information sources, including all medical facilities in the study area and 3 referral centers nearby but outside the study area, were used.


RESULTS
During the 20-year study period, 138 incident cases of CD (102 men, 36 women) and 341 incident cases of UC (170 men, 171 women) were identified. For the 20-year period, the adjusted mean annual incidence rates of CD and UC per 100,000 inhabitants were 0.53 (95% CI 0.44-0.62) and 1.51 (95% CI 1.34-1.67), respectively. When analyzed by 5-year intervals, the mean annual incidence rates of CD and UC increased significantly, from 0.05 and 0.34 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, in 1986-1990 to 1.34 and 3.08 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively, in 2001-2005. The adjusted prevalence rates of CD and UC per 100,000 inhabitants on December 31, 2005, were 11.24 (95% CI 9.29-13.18) and 30.87 (95% CI 27.47-34.27), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence and prevalence of CD and UC in Seoul, Korea, are still low compared with those in Western countries, but are rapidly increasing.
Yang
Suk-Kyun
SK
Department of Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine and Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. sky@amc.seoul.kr
Yun
Sungcheol
S
Kim
Jin-Ho
JH
Park
Joon Yong
JY
Kim
Hak Yang
HY
Kim
Young-Ho
YH
Chang
Dong Kyung
DK
Kim
Joo Sung
JS
Song
In Sung
IS
Park
Jong Beom
JB
Park
Eui-Ryun
ER
Kim
Kyung Jo
KJ
Moon
Gyoo
G
Yang
Soo Hyun
SH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence