title: Low prevalence of anemia in inflammatory bowel disease: a population-based study in Sweden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anemia is a well-known complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with a reported prevalence of 8.8-73.7%. However, knowledge is sparse about the anemia prevalence in a population-based cohort of patients affected by IBD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of this retrospective, descriptive, population-based study was to determine and analyze the prevalence of anemia for ambulatory (n = 485) as well as for hospitalized patients diagnosed with IBD in 2008 in the Highland Health Care District, Jönköpings County, Sweden.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of anemia at the annual follow-up in the studied IBD population was 6%, 5% for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 9% for those with Crohn's disease (CD). There was a higher rate of anemia at the yearly check up in patients requiring inpatient care during the year. IBD patients, prescribed anti-TNF-α treatment, had a higher rate of anemia. Of the hospitalized UC and CD patients (n = 31), 35% and 50%, respectively, had anemia at admission and 6% and 4% had severe anemia (Hb <100 g/L), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of anemia in this population was lower than reported previously, probably due to inclusion of all IBD patients in the area in combination with a proactive follow-up model. The prevalence of anemia in this IBD population was similar to the prevalence in the general population. This may indicate that efforts by health care professionals to prevent, identify, and treat anemia in the IBD population have been successful.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Highland Hospital in Eksjö, Eksjö, Sweden. martin.rejler@lj.se
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rejler
authors.forename: Jörgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tholstrup
authors.forename: Boel
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Andersson-Gäre
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spångéus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha