Quality-of-life estimation by Polish and American inflammatory bowel diseases patients - pilot study Ocena jakości życia u polskich i amerykańskich pacjentów z nieswoistymi chorobami zapalnymi jelit

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) belong to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Symptoms that occur primarily in CD patients not only affect the gastroin- testinal tract (GI), but also the extra-intestinal area, as well as patients' emotional and physiological well-being. Aim: The aim of the study was to find out if there are any dif- ferences between the Polish and American populations regarding the occurrence of symptoms and the way they are perceived by the patients. Material and methods: A 45-question-long anonymous exper- imental questionnaire was created; it concerned the mental, physical, and social changes the patients underwent. The investigated group consisted of 18 Polish and 16 American CD patients. The results were then compared to a similar group of healthy individuals (16 Polish and 12 Americans). Results: Significant differences were observed among the two investigated populations. The American group, for example, did not suffer from any eye problems, while the Polish group did. On the other hand, the Polish group did not observe any skin changes, while Americans presented skin lesions, e.g. ulcerations of the skin, furuncles, abscesses, and lichen planus. Discrepancies in dermatological, rheumatological, gastroenterological, psychological and general health ques- tions were also observed.