Prevalence and incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in two Italian islands, Sicily and Sardinia: A report based on health information systems

Abstract

Background: Few epidemiological data about inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Italy are available.

Aims: To estimate IBD prevalence and incidence in two Italian regions - Sicily and Sardinia - using regional health information systems.

Methods: Data from hospital discharges and disease-specific payment exemptions register were retrieved and underwent record-linkage procedures. Standardized prevalence and incidence were calculated as rates per 100,000 inhabitants.

Results: In Sicily, during the year 2013, the overall IBD incidence rate was 27 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the incidence rate of Crohn's disease (CD) was 16 for males and 13 for females, and the incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) was 15 and 11 for males and females, respectively. At the date of December 31st, 2013, the standardized prevalence rate of IBD was estimated at 300 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. In Sardinia, during the period 2008-2010, the average IBD incidence rate per 100,000 was 15, with an incidence rate of 5 per 100,000 for CD, and 10 per 100,000 for UC, while the standardized prevalence rate of IBD was estimated at 187 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Conclusions: The particularly high incidence of CD in Sicily, and the marked difference of IBD occurrence between the two islands deserve future investigations.

Keywords: Crohn’s disease; Epidemiology; Health information systems; Incidence; Prevalence; Ulcerative colitis.