Basic Epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Puerto Rico

Background: Previous epidemiological studies have suggested that the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is lower in Latin American populations. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of IBD in Puerto Rico, a predominantly Hispanic population.

Methods: A nonconcurrent prospective study was conducted in collaboration with private gastroenterologists in southwest Puerto Rico. Basic medical history and demographics were extracted from the medical records of patients for which a new diagnosis of IBD (Crohn's disease, CD; ulcerative colitis, UC; or nonspecified IBD) was made during each of the years 1996-2000.

Results: A total of 202 eligible cases of IBD were identified (95 male, 107 female). Forty-eight patients were diagnosed with CD, 102 with UC, and 52 with nonspecified IBD. The total incidence of IBD increased significantly between 1996 and 2000 (3.07/100,000 to 7.74/100,000; p < 0.001), being significantly higher for CD (four-fold increase, p < 0.01) and nonspecified IBD (fourfold increase, p < 0.005), but not UC (1.7-fold increase). The prevalence of CD was higher in males with an earlier age of onset (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the incidence of IBD within the Puerto Rican population is increasing and may be higher than previously reported for other Latin American populations.