INTERIM RESULTS OF THE BRITISH PAEDIATRIC SURVEILLANCE UNIT'S 1998/9 SURVEY OF THE INCIDENCE OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Abstract

93 INTRODUCTION: No national prospective epidemiological study of paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has previously been undertaken in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. To date, all the European data on the incidence of paediatric IBD has either been retrospectively collected or prospectively collected from regions within a country. METHODS: The British Paediatric Surveillance Unit (BPSU) co-ordinates a well established surveillance system via a monthly reporting card that is sent to all Paediatricians and other doctors involved in the care of children. The unit operates in both the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Commencing in June 1998, and finishing in July 1999, all respondents have been asked to prospectively report new cases of IBD that they care for. A detailed postal questionnaire relating to diagnosis and initial management has been sent to those that notify cases. RESULTS: 92% of doctors have returned their reporting cards each month and there have been 332 IBD notifications from June to October inclusive. 235 questionnaires have been returned, 70 of these are not valid for a variety of reasons or are duplicates, and 97 have not been returned to date. There were thus between 165 and 262 new cases of IBD during the initial 5 month period of the study. The latter figure assumes that all the questionnaires still to be returned are valid cases and the former that none are. An initial breakdown of disease type, age and gender is: (Table)TableCONCLUSIONS: These interim figures suggest that the incidence of IBD in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland amongst children aged < 16 years is 3.0-4.8 cases / 100,000 / year. Experience gained from this study may be useful for those wishing to undertake similar studies within Europe.