Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026
COVID-19 Seroprevalence Test for IgG Antibody Levels Among Healthy Donors Across Different Pandemic Phases in Jeddah
Published on: June 24, 2025
Crohn's disease in a Saudi outpatient population: is it still rare?
Mohammad A Al-Mofarreh1, Ibrahim A Al Mofleh, Ibrahim N Al-Teimi
1Dr Al- Mofarreh Polyclinic, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Background/Aim:
To determine the epidemiology of Crohn's disease (CD) in an outpatient clinic and compare it with data previously reported from different centers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and outside.
Materials And Methods:
The medical records of all patients with CD seen in the clinic in the period from January 1993 through December 2007 were reviewed. The demographic, clinical data and methods of diagnosis were retrieved.
Results:
Over a period of 15 years, we saw 133 Saudi patients with CD. They were predominantly young, with a median age of 26.2 years and male preponderance (2.3:1). The final diagnosis was established within 1 week of presentation in 47% of the patients. The leading symptoms were abdominal pain (88%), diarrhea (70%), bloating (61%), rectal bleeding (50%), weight loss (33%), constipation (24%) and perianal disease (23%). The diagnosis was established by endoscopy and histopathology. Ileocecal involvement was encountered in 40% of the patients.
Conclusion:
From the current study, it is obviously possible to diagnose a large proportion of patients with CD in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic. The data revealed a strikingly increased incidence of CD in a mainly young Saudi population in the past few years.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by transmural...
01:25Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
01:17Chronic Bowel Disorders: Introduction
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder affecting the gastrointestinal tract. The distinctive feature is recurrent abdominal pain associated with altered bowel movements, manifesting as constipation, diarrhea, or fluctuating between both. The...
01:20Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Clinical Manifestations
01:26Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Introduction
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...