Risk for all-cause mortality no higher with inflammatory bowel disease

The risk for cardiovascular diseases and infections may be higher in some subgroups of Crohn disease (CD) patients, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in the Journal of Crohn's and Colitis.

Benoit Follin-Arbelet, from Oslo University Hospital in Norway, and colleagues evaluated the overall and cause-specific mortality over 30 years of follow-up among 519 incident patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 237 patients with CD, as well as matched controls (1:5).

The researchers observed no statistically significant differences in overall mortality rates. However, increased mortality was seen in patients with CD with male sex (hazard ratio [HR], 1.65), onset after age 40 years (HR, 1.72), colonic disease (HR, 1.57), and penetrating behavior (HR, 3.3). Death due to cardiovascular disease was more common for patients with UC (HR, 1.51) and CD (HR, 2.04). When adjusting for the underlying and the immediate cause of death, infection was more frequent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

"Overall, this long-term cohort study revealed a good prognosis for IBD patients regarding mortality, which testifies to the advances in IBD medical care and the broadening panel of therapeutic options," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

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