Epidemiologic characteristics of 500 patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Iran studied from 2004 through 2007.
BACKGROUND
Despite claims of rarity, some studies indicate that the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease has increased in Iran during the past decades. Establishment of a registry and the clinical characteristics are presented in this study.


METHODS
Two hundred ninety-three patients with ulcerative colitis and 207 with Crohn's disease, referred to tertiary referral gastrointestinal centers in Tehran from 2004 through 2007, were assessed. Demographic and clinical features, intestinal and extraintestinal manifestations, inflammatory bowel disease in relatives, measles infection and vaccination, nutrition during infancy, and drugs and surgical interventions were assessed.


RESULTS
The mean+/-SD age at the diagnosis was 33.8+/-12.9 years in Crohn's disease and 37.1+/-13.7 years in ulcerative colitis. Male:female ratio was 0.9:1.0 for Crohn's disease and 0.7:1.0 for ulcerative colitis. A total of 177 (85.5%) patients with Crohn's disease, and 254 (86.7%) patients with ulcerative colitis had never smoked. Measles vaccination was mentioned in 150 (72.5%) of Crohn's disease and 214 (73%) of ulcerative colitis patients. Breastfeeding during infancy was reported in 178 (86%) and 257 (87.7%) of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients, respectively. Appendectomy was reported in 37 (17.9%) of Crohn's disease and 16 (5.5%) of ulcerative colitis patients, whereas tonsillectomy was reported in 11.6% of each group.


CONCLUSIONS
Demographic and clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease patients are similar to that of other developing countries, in this study, more inflammatory bowel disease cases have been assessed in comparison with previous studies, which may be due to different time scales of socioeconomic evolution and environmental factors in Iran.
Vahedi
Homayoun
H
Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14114, Iran. vahedi@ams.ac.ir
Merat
Shahin
S
Momtahen
Shabnam
S
Olfati
Golrokh
G
Kazzazi
Amir-Sadreddin
AS
Tabrizian
Tahmineh
T
Rashtak
Shahrooz
S
Khaleghnejad
Reza
R
Khademi
Hooman
H
Malekzadeh
Fatemeh
F
Nasseri-Moghaddam
Siavash
S
Malekzadeh
Reza
R
D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008458:Measles Vaccine / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D008458:Measles Vaccine