Incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Lithuania

Abstract

Background/Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Kaunas and its region during a 3-year period. Methods. The study was conducted during the 3-year period (2007-2009) and enrolled the patients from Kaunas with its region, which has a population of 381,300 inhabitants. The data were collected from all practices in the area where the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease was made by practicing gastroenterologists and consulting pediatricians along with endoscopists. Only new cases of inflammatory bowel disease were included into analysis. The diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease included into analysis. The diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease was strictly made according to the Copenhagen criteria. Age- and sex-standardized incidence was calculated for each year of the study period. Results. A total of 108 new inflammatory bowel disease cases were diagnosed during the study period: 87 had ulcerative colitis, 16 Crohn's disease, and 5 indeterminate colitis. The incidence of ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and indeterminate colitis for each study year was 6.85, 5.33, and 7.38 per 100,000; 0.95, 1.11, and 1.57 per 100,000; and 0.47, 0.21, and 0.42 per 100,000, respectively. [...].