Chronic idiopathic ulcerative colitis in Saudi Arabia, a clinicopathological study of 76 cases

ABSTRACT

In this report we present our experience with 76 cases of chronic idiopathic ulcerative colitis [IUC] out of 1279 consecutive colorectal biopsies [6.0%], seen during an 11-year period [1983-1994], in a tertiary care teaching hospital. During the same period, 12 [0.8%] patients with Crohn's disease were seen. Of the 76 patients with IUC, forty-nine were male and 27 were female, with an age range of six to 88 years, a mean of 38 +/- 16 and a median of 36 years. Forty-nine patients were Saudi Nationals [27M, 22F], 21 were non-Saudi Arabs and six were Asians. In most patients, the onset of IUC was at 20 to 49 years [70%]. The disease duration at diagnosis ranged from one month to five years, with a median of 12 months. The follow-up period ranged from 13 months to 11 years, with a median of three years. Diarrhea, hematochesia and abdominal pain were the dominant symptoms. The disease grade was generally of mild to moderate severity [55 patients, 72%] and was of low stage [distal involvement in 69 patients, 91%]. The rarity of skin manifestations and of development of colonic cancer is to be noted in spite of the relatively short period of follow-up. Our findings compare with experience from the region, confirming the mild course of the disease as contrasted to Western experience. These findings will be discussed