Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Study

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are a group of chronic intestinal inflammatory conditions. Objective: To evaluate inflammatory bowel diseases in Bahrain. Design: Retrospective study. Setting: Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology Unit, Salmaniya Medical Complex. Method: One hundred patients with IBD were included in the study from July 2007 to January 2008. Data collected include characteristics of patients, clinical presentation, endoscopic findings, histopathology, radiologic studies, extent of disease, complications, exacerbations, hospital admissions, associated medical diseases and management, medical or surgical. Result: IBD affected 55 (55%) females and 45 (45%) males. The presenting symptoms were: 64 (64%) had diarrhea, 69 (69%) had gastrointestinal bleed and 57 (57%) had abdominal pain. The main complication was intestinal bleeding in 47 (47%). Steroid dependency was seen in 21 (21%) patients. The following medications were used: Asacol (Mesalazine) in 83 (83%), Azathioprine (Imuran) in 50 (50%) and infliximab in 8 (8%) patients. Conclusion: IBD affected more females than males. Diarrhea, gastrointestinal bleed and abdominal pain were the most common presenting symptoms. More than half of cases of UC involved the left side of colon, while in CD the majority of cases involved small and large bowels. Most common drugs used were Mesalazine, Azathioprine and Infliximab.