title: [Results of a 5-year population-based followed-up for 367 ulcerative colitis patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prognostic and relapsing factors of ulcerative colitis by a 5-year population-based follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 525 patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis during the period from 1994 to 2005 at our hospital were recruited and followed prospectively for 5 years or until a relapse. The evaluation at 5 years included interview, clinical examination, laboratory tests and colonoscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among these patients, 367 patients suffered from a relapse of ulcerative colitis with a median age of 42 years old. And 263 (50.1%) patients took part in the follow-up study. The median duration of maintenance treatment was (16.3±3.9) months. The proportion of relapse was significant greater in females (P<0.05) and in patients over 60 years old versus those under 60 (P<0.05). The value of CRP was unrelated with the relapsing rate (P>0.05). During the follow-up, 36.5% of the patients relapsed within 12 months, 75.3% within 2 years and 87.8% within 5 years. And 61.5% of the patients relapsed after drug withdrawal, 11.3% in maintenance treatment and 27.2% with no treatment. Severity, extent of disease and duration of maintenance treatment showed significant differences between the relapsing group and relapsing-free groups (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relapsing factors of ulcerative colitis are gender, age, severity, extent of disease and duration of maintenance treatment.
authors.affiliation: South Building, Division of Gastroenterology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China. crazyjames301@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.forename: Bin-bin
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence