Background. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are of great interest in nowadays gastroenterology. The aim of our study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of IBD at Vilnius University Hospital Santariškių Klinikos (VUHSK).

Materials and methods. VUHSK IBD case histories were examined retrospectively covering the period from 2004 to 2008.

Results. Case histories of 288 patients were analyzed: 28.1% CD, 71.9% UC. Men / women 45.7%/54.3% CD; 44.9%/55.1% UC, p > 0.05. Mean age diagnosing CD was 38.6, UC, 41.1 years, p > 0.05. The extent of UC was as follows: proctitis 25.6%, proctosigmoiditis 28.5%, left side colitis 9.2%, pancolitis 30.9%, and normal mucosa 2.4%. UC was mild in 30.5%, moderate in 55.5%, and severe in 24% cases. The location of CD was: ileal 27.2%, colonic 48.1%, ileocolonic 9.9%, isolated upper disease 0%, normal mucosa 11.1%. Behaviour of CD: non-stricturing, non-penetrating 72.8%, stricturing 16%, penetrating 8.6%, perianal 2.5%. Forms of CD: remission 23.5%, moderate 56.8%, severe 19.8%. Corticosteroids were used for 45.7% CD and for 43.5% UC patients. Use of immunomodulators was: 33.3% in CD and 19.8% in UC group, p < 0.05. Intestinal operations were performed: 32.1% in CD and 6.8% in UC group, p < 0.05.

Conclusions. CD is a rarer diagnosis than UC; the ratio is 1 : 2.6. The main course of UC is mild and moderate proctitis and proctosigmoiditis. The main type of CD is mild non-stricturing, non-penetrating colonic type of the disease. Immunomodulators and surgery because of the complicated course of the disease are more frequent in CD than in UC. The proportion between men and women, their age at diagnosing IBD, use of corticosteroids are comparable between CD and UC patients.

Keywords: inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease