Clinical characteristics of ischemic bowel disease in young and middle-aged patients

Abstract

To explore the clinical characteristics of ischemic bowel disease (IBD) in young and middle-aged patients (aged under 65 years old). A total of 33 young and middle-aged IBD patients from January 1997 to July 2011 at Department of Gastroenterology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University were studied retrospectively. Among them, 4 patients underwent surgical procedures while 29 patients received conservative medical management. All became cured after correct treatment. The disease with a nighttime onset took up 36.4% (12/33). Among them, 21.2% (7/33) took oral contraceptives previously. Patients with no specific pre-existing condition accounted for 39.4% (13/33). Abdominal pain and hematochezia were the chief complaints of all patients. The laboratory findings were non-specific. The radiographic examination remained a major diagnostic tool. And 51.5% (17/33) patients had typical colonoscopic manifestations. More attention should be paid to young and middle-aged patients with classic abdominal pain, hematochezia and a lack of baseline cardiovascular disease.