Inflammatory bowel disease in Chinese children: a multicenter analysis over a decade from Shanghai.

Background: The purpose was to estimate the incidence and characteristics of childhood inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during 2000-2010 in Shanghai, China.

Methods: IBD patients between the ages of 0 and 18 years old were identified by survey of computerized medical information. Relevant data were extracted from their corresponding medical records.

Results: A total of 153 IBD cases were included in the study. Among them, 107 were males and 46 were females (male/female ratio, 2.3:1.0). Eighty-two had Crohn's disease (CD) and 71 had ulcerative colitis (UC). The peak prevalence of IBD was observed in the 10-14-year-old age group. The annual incidence of IBD in the 0 to 14 years age group of Shanghai residents steadily increased from 2000 to 2010. The most common symptoms of IBD were diarrhea (68.6%), bloody stool (68.6%), and abdominal pain (61.4%). More CD than UC patients had anemia and raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels. Ileocolonic type disease was more common in CD patients, and left-side colon involvement was more common in UC. Of all CD patients, 33 had mild active disease and 49 had moderate/severe disease. In UC patients, 34 were mild and 37 were moderate/severe disease.

Conclusions: This retrospective, multicenter hospital-based study over a decade shows a steadily increasing trend of childhood IBD in China. This suggests a need for population-based epidemiological studies to explore the risk factors.