Crohn's disease: it is associated with increased mortality

Crohn's disease is associated with increased mortality ten years after diagnosis, according to a study published in the journal Gut.
"It seems that the overall mortality in Crohn's disease has decreased during the second half of the last century, but on the basis of recently published data, there is an excess mortality during the course of the disease," recalls the Dr. Wolters, University Hospital of Maastricht (Netherlands), and colleagues.

But "mortality rates in Crohn's disease can vary in different parts of the world because of environmental variables genetic conditions and health management," the researchers added.

They have decided to get rid of these changes from a primarily European multinational cohort, including Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Israel, totaling 380 patients with Crohn's disease diagnosed between 1991 and 1993 and followed for at least ten years after diagnosis.

The study identified 37 deaths 21.5 expected, giving a standardized mortality ratio - the ratio of observed to expected mortality deaths - 1.85.

The mortality risk was increased both in women than in men, with a standardized mortality ratio of 1.93 and 1.79 respectively.

The standardized mortality ratio was 2.04 for patients in the North, and 1.55 for patients in developing countries, the statistical significance was not reached for patients in the North.

"This study based on a multinational population [mainly] European reveals an increased risk of overall mortality in patients with Crohn's disease ten years after their diagnosis," the authors conclude.

The only risk factor found is being older than 40 years at diagnosis of the disease, they added, stressing that the excess mortality appears to be primarily due to gastrointestinal factors associated with the disease Crohn.