title: A hospital-based study of clinical and genetic features of Crohn's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the current incidence of Crohn's disease (CD) in Taiwan and examine its clinical/genetic characteristics because there has been a trend toward increased diagnosis in the Asia-Pacific area. The genetic background seen in CD cases in Taiwan seems to be different from that in Western countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  By reviewing the database in the National Taiwan University Hospital, CD patients were identified by clinical, endoscopic, and imaging findings. The clinical characteristics were recorded and analyzed. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of patients after obtaining informed consent. Polymerase chain reaction was performed with specific primers followed by direct sequencing to determine the single-nucleotide polymorphisms ATG16L1, CCR6, IL12B, IL23R, LRRK2, TNFSF2, and TNFSF15 CD-associated genes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical data from 110 CD patients were examined from 1988 to 2008, with a mean follow-up period of 4.5 years. There was a marked increase in new CD diagnosis, especially after 2004. Among the 110 patients, 71 men and 39 women, the age at diagnosis was 30.5±17.8 years (mean±standard deviation). Stenosis occurred in 33.6% (37 of 110) and 40.9% (45 of 110) of patients who underwent surgery. The mortality rate was 2.7%, all because of sepsis. Genetic analysis of 39 patients showed that ATG16L1 and TNFSF15 were associated with susceptibility to CD in Taiwan.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recently, the incidence of CD diagnosis in Taiwan has markedly increased. ATG16L1 and TNFSF15 are associated with CD in Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei.
authors.forename: Shu-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yen-Hsuan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Hwai-I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yi-Nin
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Ming-Chu
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ming-Jium
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.forename: Cheng-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jau-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000071183:Autophagy-Related Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D053380:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15 / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C518959:ATG16L1 protein, human; D000071183:Autophagy-Related Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C117026:TNFSF15 protein, human; D053380:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 15