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Increasing rates and changing patterns of hospital admissions for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Ireland: 1996 – 2001

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Abstract

Background

The inflammatory bowel diseases require frequent hospital visits. The literature suggests that the incidence of IBD may be increasing.

Aim

To investigate the pattern of admissions of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to hospital over a five-year period (between 1996 and 2001).

Methods

We obtained national data regarding admission rates for patients with IBD from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) during the years 1996 and 2001. Local data were gathered from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) scheme for the same years.

Results

Over this five-year period, there has been a substantial increase in the rate of admission with IBD (58% for Crohn’s disease and 25% for ulcerative colitis), in particular in the number of day-case admissions for patients with Crohn’s disease (125%). There has been little change in the number of patients undergoing surgery for their disease (Crohn’s disease; 24% vs 20% and Ulcerative colitis; 17% vs 16.6%) and in the length of hospital stay.

Conclusion

Despite an increase in the rate of admission with IBD, there has been little change in the rates of surgical intervention and length of stay. The most dramatic increase was seen in the day-case admissions for patients with Crohn’s disease and may reflectthe use of anti-TNFα (infliximab) in the treatment of this disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept of Gastroenterology and Surgery, Beaumont Hospital and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin

    C. M. Smyth, S. Bacheer Picha, O. Rathore, J. Deasy, S. E. Patchett & F. E. Murray

Authors
  1. C. M. Smyth
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  2. S. Bacheer Picha
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  3. O. Rathore
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  4. J. Deasy
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  5. S. E. Patchett
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  6. F. E. Murray
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. M. Smyth.

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Smyth, C.M., Picha, S.B., Rathore, O. et al. Increasing rates and changing patterns of hospital admissions for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Ireland: 1996 – 2001. Ir J Med Sci 174, 28–32 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03168978

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