Epidemiologic profile of crohn?s disease patients, attended in the hospital Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, during last decade

Abstract

Objective: to establish an epidemiologic profile of Crohn`s Disease (CD) patients attended in Gastroenterology Department of the Hospital Dr. Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia, between June 2002 to June 2012. Results: between June 2002 to June 2012, 33 CD patients were attended in our hospital, 56% were male, mean age of 44 years old (range 15-63). Main symptoms at diagnosis were abdominal pain (63.3%) and diarrhea (39.3%). Extraintestinal manifestations in 21.2% and fistulous perianal disease was present in 39.4%. Anti-TNF drugs were used in 10 patients, only 1 severe adverse event. Estimated prevalence 3.83 cases/100,000 inhabitants, mortality rate 4.64 cases/1,000,000 inhabitants and fatality rate of 12%. Conclusions: the epidemiologic profile of CD patients, in the eastern geographical zone of our country does not differ significantly from worldwide data. Costa Rica is located in a low prevalence zone, and it shows an increasing tendency in the number of new cases and an earlier diagnosis.