Anemia In Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases In Clinical Hospital Center Osijek

Background: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are autoimmune idiopathic diseases whose incidence is constantly increasing, consequently representing a significant health problem of a developed Western society. They are characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal wall and the high occurrence of relapse. Drug groups used in the treatment of IBDs are aminosalicylates, immunomodulators, corticosteroids and biological agents. Beside the basic pathology, patients with IBDs often have comorbidities and anemia is the most significant one. There are several etiology patterns to anemia of chronic disease – infections, autoimmune diseases, tumors, etc. Different disorders occur, in iron metabolism, erythropoiesis or shortening the life span of erythrocytes. The most common is mild anemia with concentration of hemoglobin between 70 and 110 g/L, MCV and MCHC are within physiological limits or mildly decreased. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between hemoglobin concentration and duration of disease. Methods: The research was based on medical documentation of patients affected by inflammatory bowel diseases, treated at the Department of gastroenterology and hepatology, at Clinical Hospital Osijek. In total, 86 patients were involved, of which 44 of them were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and 42 with Crohn's disease. Results: Anemia was found in anamnesis of 63 (72%) patients with inflammatory bowel disease. In this researched group of patients hemoglobin values were observed and was found that the values were below the reference. Hemoglobin values ranged from 49 to 155 g/L, with a median (interquartile range) of 119 g/L (109, 5 to 132 g/L). No statistically significant correlation was found between hemoglobin values and duration of disease in patients with IBDs at the time of research (ρ = 0, 052, P = 0, 635). Conclusion: Anemia is present in most patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. The average hemoglobin concentration does not depend on the duration of the inflammatory bowel diseases.