Epidemiologic study on the current incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Madrid

ABSTRACT

Introduction: the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) varies widely according to geographical area and has beenreported to have increased in the last few years. No data are availableon the current incidence of this disease in Madrid (Spain).Aim: to determine the incidence of inflammatory bowel diseasein the area of influence of University Hospital Fundación Alcorcón(Madrid), and to compare our results with those from otherSpanish and European series.Patients and methods: a prospective, population-basedstudy was performed to determine the incidence of IBD in thearea of University Hospital Fundación Alcorcón in Madrid between2003 and 2005. Total population 213,587 inhabitants(177,490 older than 14 years). Crude rates and age- and sex-specificrates adjusted to the European standard population were calculated.A retrospective study (1998-2003) was also performed.Results: a total of 69 cases were diagnosed –Crohn´s disease(CD) 35, ulcerative colitis (UC) 33, indeterminate colitis 1– inthe prospective period. Crude rates of CD and UC were 7.92 and7.47 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year, respectively (the populationaged 0-14 years). Specific rates were 8.0 (95% CI, 7.03-8.97) and 7.47 (95% CI, 6.5-8.4), respectively. Mean age at diagnosiswas 31.02± 10.76 and 39.91±16.19 years for CD andUC, respectively. Incidence in the retrospective study was 7.13and 6.22 cases/100,000 inhabitants/year, respectively for CDand UC.Conclusions: the incidence of CD and UC in Madrid has increasedin the last decades, with rates close to those in northernEuropean countries for CD, higher than those recently publishedin Spanish prospective studies and similar to those previously describedin Spain and southern countries for UC. Rates were higherin the prospective period than in the retrospective one(AU)