Striking elevation in incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in a province of western Hungary between 1977-2001.

AIM: An investigation into inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer in Veszprem Province was conducted from 1977 to 2001. METHODS: Both hospital and outpatient records were collected and reviewed comprehensively. The majority of patients were followed up regularly. RESULTS: The population of the province was decreased from 386,000 to 376,000 during the period. Five hundred sixty new cases of ulcerative colitis (UC), 212 of Crohn's disease (CD), and 40 of indeterminate colitis (IC) were diagnosed. The incidence rates increased from 1.66 to 11.01 cases per 100,000 persons for UC, from 0.41 to 4.68 for CD and from 0.26 to 0.74 for IC. The prevalence rate at the end of 2001 was 142.6 for UC and 52.9 cases per 100,000 persons for CD. The peak onset age in UC patients was between 30 and 40 years, in CD between 20 and 30 years. A family history of IBD was present in 3.4 % in UC and 9.9 % in CD patients. Smoking increased the risk for CD (OR=1.98) while it decreased the risk for UC (OR=0.25). Twelve colorectal carcinomas were observed in this cohort, the cumulative colorectal cancer risk after 10 years in UC was 2%, after 20 years 8.8%, after 30 years 13.3%. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence rates of IBD have increased steadily in Veszprem Province, now equivalent to that in Western European countries. Rapid increase in incidence rates supports a probable role for environmental factors. The rate of colorectal cancers in IBD is similar to that observed in Western countries.

[Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel diseases in Veszprém county of Western Hungary between 1977 and 2001]. / A gyulladásos bélbetegségek epidemiológiája Veszprém megyében--25 éves felmérés eredményei (1977-2001).

INTRODUCTION: An epidemiological study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Veszprém county (located in western part of Hungary) was carried out from 1977 to 2001. METHODS: Both hospital and outpatient records of IBD patients were collected reviewed carefully. Most patients have been followed up regularly. RESULTS: The number of population has decreased during the observed period from 386,000 to 376,000. The county has both industrial and agrarian parts. 560 new ulcerative colitis (UC) cases, 212 Crohn's disease (CD), and 40 indeterminate colitides (IC) were diagnosed in the investigated period. Incidence rate increased from 1.66 (1977-1981) to 11.01 (1997-2001) in UC, and from 0.41 to 4.68 in CD, respectively. The incidence rate in IC rose from 0.26 to 0.74. The M/F ratio in UC was 1.06, in CD: 1.03, respectively, 41 UD patients and 13 CD patients died, the cause of death was disease related in 6 UC and in 6 CD patients. The average age at death in UC was not different from that observed in general population (66.4 years) but in CD (50.1 years) it was much earlier. The disease related mortality was low, 0.06/100,000 both in UC and CD. The prevalence rate at the end of 2001 was 142.6 for UC and 52.9/100,000 inhabitants for CD. Mean age at onset in UC was 38.9 +/- 15.5 years, in CD 31.7 +/- 12.8 years. We observed only one peak onset of the diseases, in UC it was between 30 and 40 years, in CD between 20 and 30 years. People living in towns were more liable to acquire the disease (ORUC = 1.27, ORCD = 1.13). The rate of smokers at the onset was 14.3% (OR = 0.25) in UC and 50.5% (OR = 1.98) in CD. Ex-smokers were 18.4% and 6.4%. Family history of IBD was present in 3.4% in UC and 9.9% in CD. The location of UC (according to the known largest extent) was proctitis in 112 cases, proctosigmoiditis in 162 cases, left sided colitis in 117 and subtotal or pancolitis in 169 cases. The location of CD was only ileal in 68 cases, ileocolonic in 87 cases, colonic in 57 cases. The behaviour of CD was non-stricturing-non-penetrating in 63 cases, stricturing in 54 cases, penetrating in 95 cases. 59.4% of the CD patients had at least one operation, 6.1% had more than 3 operations. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence rates have increased steadily in Veszprém County, now it reaches that of most western European countries. There were no gender differences either in UC or CD. Smoking seemed to be a risk factor for CD, but it was preventive for UC. The rapid increase in incidence supports a role for environmental (e.g. diet, lifestyle changes) risk factors.