Geographic Distribution, Phenotype and Epidemiological Tendency in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients in Romania
Adrian Goldiș,
Raluca Lupușoru,
Liana Gheorghe,
Cristian Gheorghe,
Anca Trifan,
Daniela Dobru,
Cristina Cijevschi,
Alina Tanțău,
Gabriel Constantinescu,
Răzvan Iacob,
Ramona Goldiș,
Mircea Diculescu
Affiliations
Adrian Goldiș
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
Raluca Lupușoru
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
Liana Gheorghe
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Cristian Gheorghe
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Anca Trifan
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Institute, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700019 Iași, Romania
Daniela Dobru
Municipal Hospital, Gastroenterology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 540139 Târgu-Mureș, Romania
Cristina Cijevschi
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Institute, “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700019 Iași, Romania
Alina Tanțău
“Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 3rd Medical Clinic, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Gabriel Constantinescu
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Floreasca Emergency Hospital, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Răzvan Iacob
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Ramona Goldiș
Algomed Policlinic, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
Mircea Diculescu
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Background and objective: The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) over the past years in Romania has been on the rise, but epidemiologic data are lacking. The aim of this study was to define the characteristics of IBD, the trends and phenotype among IBD patients in Romania. Material and methods: We conducted a prospective study over a period of 12 years, from 2006 to 2017. All patients diagnosed with IBD on clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histological features were included. We divided the country into eight regions: west (W), north-east (NE), north-west (NW), south-east (SE), south-west (SW), south (S), central (C) and Bucharest-Ilfov (B), and data were analyzed accordingly. Results: A total of 2724 patients were included in this database, but only 2248 were included in the final analysis, with all data available. Of the 2248 patients, 935 were Crohn’s disease (CD), 1263 were ulcerative colitis (UC) and 50 were IBD-undetermined. In UC phenotypes we observed more frequent left-sided colitis (50.5%, p < 0.0001), and in CD phenotype we observed more frequent colonic and ileo-colonic localization (37.8% and 37.6%, p < 0.0001). The region with the most IBD cases was NE (25.1%) and with the least IBD cases was SW (4.9%). UC was found more frequently in NE (32%), while CD was found more frequently in Bucharest (28.6%). Conclusions: In Romania, ulcerative colitis is more frequent than CD. UC is predominant in the northern part of Romania, while CD has become predominant in the southern part of the country. IBD occurs more in the male population, and in urban and industrialized areas. There are differences between the regions in Romania regarding IBD phenotypes, gender distributions, age distribution, treatment, smoking status and complications.