title: Epidemiologic characteristics of 500 patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Iran studied from 2004 through 2007.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Research Center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14114, Iran. vahedi@ams.ac.ir
authors.forename: Homayoun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vahedi
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merat
authors.forename: Shabnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Momtahen
authors.forename: Golrokh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Olfati
authors.forename: Amir-Sadreddin
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kazzazi
authors.forename: Tahmineh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tabrizian
authors.forename: Shahrooz
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rashtak
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khaleghnejad
authors.forename: Hooman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khademi
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
authors.forename: Siavash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nasseri-Moghaddam
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D008458:Measles Vaccine