title: The prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in IBD outpatients in Scandinavia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency (ID) among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Scandinavian countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study including 429 IBD patients from six centers in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Patients were screened for anemia and ID. Each center included ~5% of their IBD cohort. Patients were consecutively seen in the outpatient clinic, regardless of disease activity and whether the visits were scheduled or not.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of anemia was 19% (95% CI: 16-23%). The prevalence was higher among patients with Crohn's disease than among patients with ulcerative colitis (p = 0.01). The etiology of anemia was as follows: iron deficiency anemia (20%), anemia of chronic disease (12%), and both conditions (68%). Less than 5% had folate acid or vitamin B12 deficiency. ID was found in 35% (CI: 31-40%) of the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anemia was present in every fifth IBD patient and ID in every third IBD patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine V (Hepatology and Gastroenterology), Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Palle
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bager
authors.forename: Ragnar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Befrits
authors.forename: Ola
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wikman
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lindgren
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moum
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hjortswang
authors.forename: Jens F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dahlerup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins; D005492:Folic Acid; D007501:Iron; D014805:Vitamin B 12