by Elana Gotkine

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is 10.9 per 100,000 person-years and prevalence is 721 per 100,000 population, according to a study published online July 20 in Gastroenterology.

James D. Lewis, M.D., from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and colleagues estimated the incidence, prevalence, and racial-ethnic distribution of physician-diagnosed IBD in the United States using four administrative claims datasets. Validated combinations of medical diagnoses, diagnostic procedures, and prescription medications were used to identify incident and prevalent diagnoses.

The researchers found that the age- and sex-standardized incidence of IBD was 10.9 per 100,000 person-years. In the third decade of life, incidence of IBD peaked, followed by a decrease to a relatively stable level across the fourth to eighth decades, and a further decline. Per 100,000 population, the age-, sex-, and insurance-standardized prevalence of IBD was 721. An estimated 2.39 million Americans were diagnosed with IBD extrapolated to the 2020 census. IBD prevalence was 812, 504, 403, and 458 per 100,000 population in White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic Americans, respectively.

"Accurate estimates of IBD incidence and prevalence taking into account racial and ethnic distribution are crucial because they provide valuable information about the burden of disease in a population," a coauthor said in a statement. "This is the most comprehensive study to date and this knowledge is essential to help health care professionals and policy makers allocate resources to effectively manage IBD, make better-informed public health decisions, and improve patient outcomes."

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

More information: James D. Lewis et al, Incidence, Prevalence and Racial and Ethnic Distribution of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United States, Gastroenterology (2023). DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2023.07.003

Journal information: Gastroenterology 

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