Pattern of relapses in Iranian patients with ulcerative colitis. A prospective study.

Background: The pattern of relapses in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) has a significant role in taking decisions about the therapy and the follow up of patients. This study is designed to find out the pattern, time and severity of relapses in Iranian patients with UC.

Method: From 1991 to 2003, a period of 13 years, the pattern of relapses in 163 patients with UC who had been admitted to a private referral gastroenterology clinic in Iran were evaluated.

Results: 163 patients (58.3% female, 41.7% male) were included, aged from 17 to 74 years with mean age of 38.9 ± 12.3 years. Mean follow up time was 52.7 ± 41.4 months (ranges 12 and 155 months). Mean relapse chance was 0.028 ± 0.036 for each patient in every month (ranges 0-0.21). The mean time from the initial attack to the first relapse was 23.8 ± 22.5 months, which was not the same in patients with different primary disease severity (p = 0.03).

Conclusion: The time and severity of the relapses relate to the severity of UC. Iranian patients have a milder course of the disease.