TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease
T2 - Incidence, prevalence, and environmental influences
AU - Loftus, Edward V.
PY - 2004/6
Y1 - 2004/6
N2 - Although the incidence and prevalence of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are beginning to stabilize in high-incidence areas such as northern Europe and North America, they continue to rise in low-incidence areas such as southern Europe, Asia, and much of the developing world. As many as 1.4 million persons in the United States and 2.2 million persons in Europe suffer from these diseases. Previously noted racial and ethnic differences seem to be narrowing. Differences in incidence across age, time, and geographic region suggest that environmental factors significantly modify the expression of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The strongest environmental factors identified are cigarette smoking and appendectomy. Whether other factors such as diet, oral contraceptives, perinatal/childhood infections, or atypical mycobacterial infections play a role in expression of inflammatory bowel disease remains unclear. Additional epidemiologic studies to define better the burden of illness, explore the mechanism of association with environmental factors, and identify new risk factors are needed.
AB - Although the incidence and prevalence of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are beginning to stabilize in high-incidence areas such as northern Europe and North America, they continue to rise in low-incidence areas such as southern Europe, Asia, and much of the developing world. As many as 1.4 million persons in the United States and 2.2 million persons in Europe suffer from these diseases. Previously noted racial and ethnic differences seem to be narrowing. Differences in incidence across age, time, and geographic region suggest that environmental factors significantly modify the expression of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The strongest environmental factors identified are cigarette smoking and appendectomy. Whether other factors such as diet, oral contraceptives, perinatal/childhood infections, or atypical mycobacterial infections play a role in expression of inflammatory bowel disease remains unclear. Additional epidemiologic studies to define better the burden of illness, explore the mechanism of association with environmental factors, and identify new risk factors are needed.
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U2 - 10.1053/j.gastro.2004.01.063
DO - 10.1053/j.gastro.2004.01.063
M3 - Article
C2 - 15168363
AN - SCOPUS:2442563304
SN - 0016-5085
VL - 126
SP - 1504
EP - 1517
JO - Gastroenterology
JF - Gastroenterology
IS - 6
ER -