Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease in patients from northwestern iran.
BACKGROUND
There are few reports from Iran about the epidemiology and clinical features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This study aims to determine the epidemiologic profile and clinical features of IBD in Northwest Iran referral centers.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional setting, we evaluated 200 patients with definitive diagnoses of IBD who referred to Tabriz educational hospitals during the period of 2005 to 2007. Demographic characteristics as well as patients' clinical profiles were evaluated. Disease activity and severity were determined by the Crohn's Disease Activity Index and Truelove and Witt's classification of ulcerative colitis (UC). The related probable demographic factors were tested.


RESULTS
Of the 200 IBD patients, 183 (91.5%) were diagnosed with UC and 17 (8.5%) with Crohn's disease (CD). There was a positive first degree relative of IBD in 10.9% of UC and 11.8% of CD patients. Abdominal pain was the primary presenting symptom in 25.7% of UC patients and in 58.8% of those with CD. Among UC patients, left-sided colitis was the main feature (52.5%); while in patients with CD, colon involvement was predominant (52.9%). There was no significant contributor for activity or severity of disease noted among demographic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
The occurrence of UC was much higher than CD. The onset of IBD occurred in younger ages with a predominance in males. Left-sided colitis in UC and colon involvement in CD was common. Mostly, the pattern of IBD was mild to moderate with good response to pharmacotherapy. Disease activity and severity were unaffected by demographic features.
Assistant professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre,Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Kourosh Masnadi
KM
Shirazi
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Mohammad Hossein
MH
Somi
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Yoosef
Y
Bafandeh
Internist, Department of Internal Medicine, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Firooz
F
Saremi
Internist, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Nooshin
N
Mylanchy
Internist, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Parisa
P
Rezaeifar
Ph.D Student of Nutrition, Nutrition Faculty, Tabriz University of medical Sciences.
Nasim
N
Abedi Manesh
Researcher, Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Seyed Kazem
SK
Mirinezhad
Demographic; Disease severity; Inflammatory bowel disease; Iran