Seasonal variation by the onset of symptoms and health care seeking behaviour in 282 patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Environmental factors are believed to trigger the onset of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to evaluate the seasonal variation in the onset of symptoms in patients with IBD and health care seeking behaviour. 282 patients were chosen from the charts. Demographic features, the month and the age at the onset of presenting symptoms and delayed diagnosis term for each patient were analyzed. Cumulative monthly averages analysed by Kruskal Wallis test and Roger’s test. Of the 282 patients with IBD, 181 were male (64%). Mean age was 40.1±14.7 years (median: 38, range: 14 to 79 years). The seasonal pattern showed peak in March with 57% and the lowest point in November with 36% (p 0.05). The seasonal pattern was not influenced by both genders and by age groups in patients with IBD or UC or CD (p >0.05). We investigated the etiologic environment of IBD and found an interaction between the etiopathogenesis of IBD and environmental risk factors. There was a delay in IBD, but no difference on the health care seeking behaviour between males and females. Key words: Inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, seasonal, cluster, health care seeking behaviour.