title: Clinical characteristics of non-perianal fistulating Crohn's disease in China: a single-center experience of 184 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is little information of non-perianal fistulating Crohn's disease in the consensus published by the European Crohn's and Colitis Organization in 2006 and 2010. This study was designed to demonstrate the clinical characteristics of non-perianal fistulating Crohn's disease among homogenous Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred-and-eighty-four patients were retrospectively collected. All of these patients were diagnosed of Crohn's disease between February 2001 and April 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The male-to-female ratio was 2.7:1. The most common symptoms at onset were abdominal pain (88.0%), diarrhea (34.7%), and fever (28.3%). The most common disease location and behavior at diagnosis were small bowel (56.0%) and penetrating (51.6%). Among 324 non-perianal fistulae, the most common types were ileocolonic anastomotic (30.9%), terminal ileocutaneous (19.7%), and enteroenteric anastomotic (11.4%). One-hundred-and-thirty- eight (75.0%) patients received antibiotics, and β-lactam (85.5%) and metronidazole (67.4%) are most frequently used. One-hundred-and-seventy-eight (96.7%) patients suffered 514 surgical operations, and the cumulative surgical rates after 1, 3, and 5 years were 38.0%, 52.2%, and 58.7% respectively. Nine patients died during the follow-up period, and the cumulative survival rates after 1, 3, and 5 years were 97.8%, 96.7%, and 96.2% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study displayed the clinical characteristics of non-perianal fistulating Crohn's disease in our center. Large population-based studies are required for further investigation in China.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, China.
authors.forename: Ge-Fei
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guo-Sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Xin-Bo
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chao-Gang
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Jie-Shou
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006027:Glycosides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012003:Rectal Fistula / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D029757:Tripterygium / Q000737:chemistry; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006027:Glycosides