Re-evaluation of the diagnosis and outcome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To re evaluate the diagnosis and outcome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by long term follow up at Wuhan University Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan, China. Methods One hundred patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 15 with Crohn's disease (CD) treated in this hospital from 1980 to 1999 were re evaluated with the uniform diagnostic criteria proposed by National Workshop of Chronic Non infectious Intestinal Diseases, 1993. All patients were followed up by questionnaire, telephone and face to face interview 1～16 years after the initial diagnosis. Results Of 115 patients with IBD, 75(65%) were available for follow up study. Of 64 cases of UC, 46 had their diagnosis confirmed, 9 diagnosed as possible UC, and 9 cases were reclassified as other diseases. Of 11 cases with CD, 7 were diagnosed correctly, 2 were possible CD, and 1 were intestinal tuberculosis. In the remaining 55 UC, 3 died and 1 due to complication of UC. Other 52 UC, 37 had relapse. In the 10 patients with CD, 1 died due to complication. In other 9 cases 7 had relapse. In 46 patients with UC and 6 patients with CD there were symptom free or symptoms improved. Conclusions At follow up 1 to 16 years after the diagnosis of IBD, the initial diagnosis of UC and CD was confirmed in 86% and 82% respectively. Relapse rates of UC and CD were 71% and 78% respectively. The prognosis of patients with UC is better with 88% symptom free and improvement, while only 67% of patients with CD were symptom free and symptoms improved.