Clinical profile, course and outcomes of adults with inflammatory bowel disease over a decade: a single center experience

BACKGROUND:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an important cause of morbidity in Saudi Arabia.


OBJECTIVES:
Determine the incidence, clinical profile, course and outcomes of IBD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.


DESIGN:
Medical record review


SETTING:
Tertiary care center


PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Data were extracted from the medical records of all patients with IBD admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2019. The complications of IBD were classified as gastrointestinal or extraintestinal. Comorbidities were classified as either systemic diseases or gastrointestinal diseases.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Epidemiology, clinical manifestations and complications of IBD.


SAMPLE SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS:
435 patients with IBD, median (IQR) age at presentation 24.0 (14.0) years, 242 males (55.6%)


RESULTS:

The study population consisted of 249 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) (57.2%) and 186 with ulcerative colitis (UC) (42.8%). Nearly half were either overweight or obese. Abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting were the most common presenting symptoms. The most common extraintestinal manifestations were musculoskeletal (e.g., arthritis and arthralgia). Colorectal cancer was diagnosed in 3.2%. Patients with other gastrointestinal (GI) comorbidities were at higher risk of developing GI complications of IBD (
P
≤.05). Biological agents were used to treat 212 patients (87%) with CD and 102 patients (57%) with UC.



CONCLUSIONS:
The number of patients diagnosed with IBD and their body mass index increased each year over the period of interest. However, the rate of surgical intervention and number of serious complications fell. This improvement in outcomes was associated with a higher percentage of patients receiving biological therapy.


LIMITATIONS:
Incomplete data. Some patients diagnosed and/or followed up at other hospitals.


CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
None.