Pattern of Clinical Presentation and Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by non-specific chronic relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and extra-intestinal manifestations. It includes Crohn’s disease (CD) ulcerative colitis (UC) and unclassified colitis. Objective: To assess the clinical presentations and management of inflammatory bowel disease in Sudanese patients. Methodology: Prospective, cross-section hospital-based study was conducted at Soba University Hospital (SUH) and Ibn Sina Hospital, in a period from December 2016 to March 2017. Data was entered and analyzed with SPSS, an interview questionnaire containing demographic, clinical, type of IBD, treatment, and complications. Results: A total of 64 IBD patients were included, 50% were diagnosed with UC, 28.1% with CD and 21.9% unclassified type. The most frequent age in UC patients was 41 – 50 years 34.4%, in CD was 31- 40 years 38.9% and for the unclassified type was 51 – 70 years 57.2%. The female was higher in CD while males were higher in Ulcerative colitis disease, symptoms were diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, rectal pain, tenesmus and fatigue. Study participants received 5 amino salicylic acid, and steroids, especially in the oral formulation. Minimal usage of topical forms, azathioprine, and biological agents. Conclusion: The study concluded UC is more common than CD. This should be taken into account as an important update for internal medicine professionals to adjust their expectations and lines of diagnosis, and management. The emergence of the unclassified type in Sudan requires good communication between the pathologists and the physicians and MDT meetings in every patient with suspicion of IBD.