Clinical Research
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 28, 2005; 11(12): 1785-1787
Published online Mar 28, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i12.1785
Incidence of ulcerative colitis in Central Greece: A prospective study
Spiros D. Ladas, Elias Mallas, Konstantinos Giorgiotis, Georgios Karamanolis, Dimitrios Trigonis, Apostolos Markadas, Vana Sipsa, Sotirios A. Raptis
Spiros D. Ladas, Sotirios A. Raptis, Dimitrios Trigonis, Apostolos Markadas, Gastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Athens University, Attikon University General Hospital, Athens, Greece
Elias Mallas, Georgios Karamanolis, Gastroenterology Unit, 2nd Department of Surgery, Athens University, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece
Konstantinos Giorgiotis, Dimitrios Trigonis, Apostolos Markadas, The Trikala Cooperative IBD Group, Trikala, Greece
Vana Sipsa, Biostatistic Laboratory, Department of Epidemiology, Athens University, Athens, Greece
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Professor Spiros D. Ladas, 23 Sisini Street, 11528 Athens, Greece. sdladas@hol.gr
Telephone: +30-210-7210213 Fax: +30-210-5326422
Received: February 23, 2004
Revised: February 24, 2004
Accepted: April 20, 2004
Published online: March 28, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To study the incidence of ulcerative colitis UC in the prefecture of Trikala, Central Greece.

METHODS: A prospective and population based epidemiological study of UC from 1990 to the end of 1994 was conducted. Trikala is a semirural prefecture of Central Greece with a population of 138946 (census 1991). Three gastroenterologists (one hospital based, two private doctors) of the prefecture participated in this study.

RESULTS: During the study period, 66 new histologically verified cases of UC were recorded. The mean annual incidence of the disease in 1990-1994 was 11.2 per 105 inhabitants (95%CI: 8.7-14.3). There was no difference between men and women (annual incidence: 10.5 and 12.0 per 105 inhabitants respectively), either among urban, semirural or rural populations (annual incidence: 11.7, 17.1 and 9.9 per 105 inhabitants respectively). The majority (56%) of the patients never smoked and a quarter were ex-smokers. About a half of all cases had proctitis.

CONCLUSION: UC is common in Central Greece and its incidence is similar to that in North-Western European countries.

Keywords: Ulcerative colitis, Histology