Authors: A N Desmond F Shanahan
Publish Date: 2011/09/24
Volume: 181, Issue: 1, Pages: 65-71
Abstract
Health care planning demands a detailed knowledge of the course of chronic diseases in the Irish population This study describes hospital admission rates medication use and outcomes in a large cohort of patients with ulcerative colitis attending a tertiary referral centre in IrelandMore than half 554 of the patients were managed exclusively in an outpatient setting throughout diagnosis and followup Systemic corticosteroids thiopurines and infliximab were required by 70 295 and 5 of the patients respectively Overall 5year colectomy rate due to failure of medical therapy was 158 Independent predictors of colectomy were hospital admission at first presentation odds ratio 36 p 00001 and pancolitis at diagnosis odds ratio 23 p 001The majority of patients with colitis have an uncomplicated disease course and do not require thiopurines biologic agents or hospital admission Principal management at a primary care level may be appropriate in many cases Colectomy rates at a specialist centre in Ireland compare favourably with international figures
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