RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence and distribution of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the 02 health area of the province of Castellon. METHODS: Retrospective study of 133 cases of inflammatory bowel disease (in 72 males and 61 females aged 13 to 86 years), diagnosed during the period from 1992 to 1996 in an eminently rural area with a population of 349,318 inhabitants. RESULTS: The incidence of IBD was 9.5 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year (6.8, 1.9 and 0.8 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and indeterminate colitis respectively). Incidence was similar in males and females (sex ratio 1.18:1), and average age was 40.9 years (42.6, 35.8 and 38.6 for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease and indeterminate colitis respectively). The predominant clinical forms were rectosigmoiditis in ulcerative colitis, granulomatous colitis and terminal colitis in Crohn's disease and proctosigmoiditis in indeterminate colitis. CONCLUSION: The incidence and the forms of presentation of IBD in the 02 health area of the province of Castellon are similar to those reported in the rest of Spain, mainly in the urban population.