Epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Population Study in a Healthcare District of North-West Italy

Abstract

The burden of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is increasing worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and the changing in epidemiology of IBD in the Healthcare District Bra, an area of North-West Italy accounting for 57,615 inhabitants as of 31 December 2021. Clinical and demographic data were retrieved from administrative databases and the medical records of general practitioners (n = 39) at Verduno Hospital. Prevalence and incidence rates were calculated for the time span 2016–2021 and compared to the 2001–2006 period. IBD prevalence was 321.2 per 100,000 population in 2021 and, compared with 2006 (200 per 100,000 population), the prevalence has increased at a rate of +46%. Similarly, the average incidence has increased from the period 2001–2006 (6.7 per 100,000 population/year) to the period 2016–2021 (18.0 per 100,000 population/year) at a rate of +169%; such an increase was greater for CD than UC. In the 2016–2021 period, the mean age at diagnosis was 42.0 ± 17.4 years and 30.9% required at least one hospitalization, while 10.9% of patients underwent at least one surgery. In conclusion, the prevalence and incidence of IBD distinctly increased over a two decade period in the Healthcare District Bra paralleling the results of previous surveys from other Italian regions. These data warrant specific interventions to improve patients’ management and resources’ allocation.

Crossing barriers: the burden of inflammatory bowel disease across Western Europe

“…10,11 Although Southern European countries have often been considered as low prevalent areas for IBD, recent studies have proven this is no longer the case, as can be seen from recent studies from Spain, Italy and Portugal. [12][13][14][15][16][17] Western Europe is vast and disease rates vary not only between countries, but within each country itself. One of the largest UK studies to determine epidemiology rates in IBD explored health records from more than 38.3 million people between 2000 and 2020 and found a population incidence rate of 36 new cases per 100,000 person-years, with greater rates in Scotland and Northern Ireland compared to England and Wales.…”

Oral and systemic health in Singapore: Revisiting the past to define the future

“…Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory condition of the lower digestive tract. The prevalence jumped 46% in 15 years, 20 and causes are yet to be defined. Hu et al 21 The interaction between the mouth-gut axis might be helpful in determining predictive models for bowel diseases.…”

“…Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory condition of the lower digestive tract. The prevalence jumped 46% in 15 years, 20 and causes are yet to be defined. Hu et al 21 utilized shotgun sequencing to characterize the oral and gut microbiomes in a Singaporean population with Crohn's disease.…”

Current Knowledge on the Preparation and Benefits of Cruciferous Vegetables as Relates to In Vitro, In Vivo, and Clinical Models of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…IBD is a significant economic and social burden, particularly in Europe and North America where rates are high [ 13 , 14 ]; in the United States, >3 million people suffer from IBD, with an annual cost of >$30 billion. Cases of IBD have dramatically increased in many countries [ 15 ], with various factors contributing, including diet and the switch to ultraprocessed foods [ 16 ], lifestyle, urbanization, exposure to environmental pollutants [ 17 ], and stress [ 18 ], as well as a few genetic markers [ 19 , 20 ]. Many studies suggest that diet is a major factor, including one that reported a 70% relationship between IBD and a switch to self-reported unhealthy diets with high sugar and saturated fats and less fiber, fruits, and vegetables [ 21 ].…”