Background: Crohn's disease (CD) can cause social and occupational limitations leading to substantial productivity losses. The aim of the study was to compare the social and occupational situation of CD patients with that of their not affected siblings or friends of youth who grew up in a similar socio-economic environment.
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) seems to be frequently used among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to determine the prevalence and indicators of CAM use in Austrian IBD patients.In a multicentre cross-sectional study, adult patients with IBD attending 18 Austrian outpatient clinics completed a multi-item questionnaire that recorded use of CAM as well as medical and socioeconomic characteristics. Patients were recruited between June 2014 and June 2015. The study outcome was the prevalence of CAM use and its socioeconomic and disease-related associations.A total of 1286 patients (Crohn's disease 830, ulcerative colitis 435, IBD unclassified 21; females 651) with a median age of 40 years (interquartile range 31-52 years) and a median disease duration of 10 years (4-18 years) were analysed. The prevalence of previous and/or current CAM use was 50.7%, with similar results for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In the multivariable analysis, female gender and a university education were independent socioeconomic indicators of CAM use. IBD-related indicators were longer duration of the disease and previous and/or current treatment with steroids and TNF-α inhibitors.CAM use for IBD is frequent in Austrian IBD patients and associated with female gender, higher educational level of university degree, longer duration of the disease, and treatment with steroids and TNF-α inhibitors.
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but data on frequency, site of thrombosis and risk factors are limited. We sought to determine prevalence, incidence as well as location and clinical features of first VTE among IBD patients.We evaluated a cohort of 2811 IBD patients for a history of symptomatic, objectively confirmed first VTE, recruited from 14 referral centers. Patients with VTE before IBD diagnosis or cancer were excluded. Incidence rates were calculated based on person-years from IBD diagnosis to first VTE or end of follow-up, respectively.2784 patients (total observation time 24,778 person-years) were analyzed. Overall, of 157 IBD patients with a history of VTE, 142 (90.4%) had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE), whereas 15 (9.6%) had cerebral, portal, mesenteric, splenic or internal jugular vein thrombosis. The prevalence and incidence rate of all VTE was 5.6% and 6.3 per 1000 person years, respectively. Patients with VTE were older at IBD diagnosis than those without VTE (34.4±14.8years vs 32.1±14.4years, p=0.045), but did not differ regarding sex, underlying IBD and disease duration. 121 (77.1%) VTE were unprovoked, 122 (77.7%) occurred in outpatients and 78 (60.9%) in patients with active disease. Medication at first VTE included corticosteroids (42.3%), thiopurines (21.2%), and infliximab (0.7%).VTE is frequent in IBD patients. Most of them are unprovoked and occur in outpatients. DVT and PE are most common and unusual sites of thrombosis are rare.
a few data are available on the incidence and prevalence of GN in population-based studies.Our aim was to explore the incidence of GN and its relationship with disease characteristics and medical therapy in a population-based inception cohort of IBD patients in the Veszprem province database between 1977 and 2012.Methods: A total of 1708 incepted IBD patients were included (male/ female: 879/829; CD: 648, age at onset: 29, IQR: 22-39; UC: 1060, age at onset: 36, IQR: 26-50 years) and followed-up until the 31st of December 2012 for a total of 21369 patient-years.Cases with histopathological diagnosis of GN were collected and included in the further analysis.Results: GN was identified in a total of 6 IBD patients (CD (Crohn's disease)/UC (ulcerative colitis): 5/1, male/female: 5/1, median age at diagnosis: 27.5 (25-39) years).The incidence rate of GN was 0.28 per 1000 patient-years.All patients were administered 5-ASA (5-aminosalicylate) treatment.Total anytime 5-ASA exposure was 88.5 % in CD and 97.5 % in UC.The histopathological types of GN were IgA nephropathia, granulomatous nephritis, membranous glomerulonephritis, mesangio-capillaris glomerulonephritis and mesangio-proliferative glomerulonephritis.Conclusions: A higher incidence of GN was observed compared to the findings of previous studies.The incidence was higher in males and in CD and a high use of 5-ASA was found.
