Ulcerative Colitis in a Provincial Hospital- A Very Different Perspective

Category: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Aims: Reports on Ulcerative Colitis (UC) from tertiary referral / teaching hospitals have an inherent bias towards problem cases. This report details UC in a secondary referral hospital and presents a more complete picture by comparing with a tertiary centre.

Methods: Disease extent, current status and current treatment are recorded. Data is compared with Western General Hospital (WGH), Edinburgh, 2005.

Results: 185 UC patients (109F) were studied; mean follow up time 9 (0.5–41) years; mean age at diagnosis 42 (12–84) years. 78 (49%) distal disease; 22 (14%) extensive colitis; 58 (37%) pancolitis. At follow up, 139 (85%) well (WGH 55%); 18 (11%) mildly active disease; 7 (4%) moderate to severe activity, (WGH 17% active (steroid dependant)). 12 (7%) had proctocolectomy, (WGH 21%), 4 (2%) had died; information not available in 12 (7%) individuals, (WGH 7%). 142 (87%) on an oral 5-ASA; 27 (17%) on concurrent azathioprine (WGH 17%), 6 (4%) on 6-Mercaptopurine; 19 (12%) on steroids [7/13 on long term PO, 6 on rectal steroids, (WGH 17%].

Conclusions: This, the first Irish comparative secondary/tertiary UC study, shows a much more benign disease profile than previous tertiary centre reports suggest.