Incidence, Clinical Characteristics and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Spain: Large-Scale Epidemiological Study
Authors: Chaparro María , Garre Ana , Núñez Ortiz Andrea , Diz-Lois Palomares María , Rodríguez Cristina , Riestra Sabino , Vela Milagros , Benítez José , Fernández Salgado Estela , Sánchez Rodríguez Eugenia , Hernández Vicent , Ferreiro-Iglesias Rocío , Ponferrada Díaz Ángel , Barrio Jesús , Huguet José , Sicilia Beatriz , Martín-Arranz María , Calvet Xavier , Ginard Daniel , Alonso-Abreu Inmaculada , Fernández-Salazar Luis , Varela Trastoy Pilar , Rivero Montserrat , Vera-Mendoza Isabel , Vega Pablo , Navarro Pablo , Sierra Mónica , Cabriada José , Aguas Mariam , Vicente Raquel , Navarro-Llavat Mercè , Echarri Ana , Gomollón Fernando , Guerra del Río Elena , Piñero Concepción , Casanova María , Spicakova Katerina , Ortiz de Zarate Jone , Torrella Cortés Emilio , Gutiérrez Ana , Alonso-Galán Horacio , Hernández-Martínez Álvaro , Marrero José , Lorente Poyatos Rufo , Calafat Margalida , Martí Romero Lidia , Robledo Pilar , Bosch Orencio , Jiménez Nuria , Esteve Comas María , Duque José , Fuentes Coronel Ana , Josefa Sampedro Manuela , Sesé Abizanda Eva , Herreros Martínez Belén , Pozzati Liliana , Fernández Rosáenz Hipólito , Crespo Suarez Belén , López Serrano Pilar , Lucendo Alfredo , Muñoz Vicente Margarita , Bermejo Fernando , Ramírez Palanca José , Menacho Margarita , Carmona Amalia , Camargo Raquel , Torra Alsina Sandra , Maroto Nuria , Nerín de la Puerta Juan , Castro Elena , Marín-Jiménez Ignacio , Botella Belén , Sapiña Amparo , Cruz Noelia , Forcelledo José , Bouhmidi Abdel , Castaño-Milla Carlos , Opio Verónica , Nicolás Isabel , Kutz Marcos , Abraldes Bechiarelli Alfredo , Gordillo Jordi , Ber Yolanda , Torres Domínguez Yolanda , Novella Durán María , Rodríguez Mondéjar Silvia , Martínez-Cerezo Francisco , Kolle Lilyan , Sabat Miriam , Ledezma Cesar , Iyo Eduardo , Roncero Óscar , Irisarri Rebeca , Lluis Laia , Blázquez Gómez Isabel , Zapata Eva , José Alcalá María , Martínez Pascual Cristina , Montealegre María , Mata Laura , Monrobel Ana , Hernández Camba Alejandro , Hernández Luis , Tejada María , Mir Alberto , Galve María , Soler Marta , Hervías Daniel , Gómez-Valero José , Barreiro-de Acosta Manuel , Rodríguez-Artalejo Fernando , García-Esquinas Esther , Gisbert Javier ,   on behalf of the EpidemIBD study group of GETECCU
Published: June 2021

(1) Aims: To assess the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Spain, to describe the main epidemiological and clinical characteristics at diagnosis and the evolution of the disease, and to explore the use of drug treatments. (2) Methods: Prospective, population-based nationwide registry. Adult patients diagnosed with IBD—Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) or IBD unclassified (IBD-U)—during 2017 in Spain were included and were followed-up for 1 year. (3) Results: We identified 3611 incident cases of IBD diagnosed during 2017 in 108 hospitals covering over 22 million inhabitants. The overall incidence (cases/100,000 person-years) was 16 for IBD, 7.5 for CD, 8 for UC, and 0.5 for IBD-U; 53% of patients were male and median age was 43 years (interquartile range = 31–56 years). During a median 12-month follow-up, 34% of patients were treated with systemic steroids, 25% with immunomodulators, 15% with biologics and 5.6% underwent surgery. The percentage of patients under these treatments was significantly higher in CD than UC and IBD-U. Use of systemic steroids and biologics was significantly higher in hospitals with high resources. In total, 28% of patients were hospitalized (35% CD and 22% UC patients, p < 0.01). (4) Conclusion: The incidence of IBD in Spain is rather high and similar to that reported in Northern Europe. IBD patients require substantial therapeutic resources, which are greater in CD and in hospitals with high resources, and much higher than previously reported. One third of patients are hospitalized in the first year after diagnosis and a relevant proportion undergo surgery.