[Results of a 5-year population-based followed-up for 367 ulcerative colitis patients]

To investigate the prognostic and relapsing factors of ulcerative colitis by a 5-year population-based follow-up.

A total of 525 patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis during the period from 1994 to 2005 at our hospital were recruited and followed prospectively for 5 years or until a relapse. The evaluation at 5 years included interview, clinical examination, laboratory tests and colonoscopy.

Among these patients, 367 patients suffered from a relapse of ulcerative colitis with a median age of 42 years old. And 263 (50.1%) patients took part in the follow-up study. The median duration of maintenance treatment was (16.3±3.9) months. The proportion of relapse was significant greater in females (P<0.05) and in patients over 60 years old versus those under 60 (P<0.05). The value of CRP was unrelated with the relapsing rate (P>0.05). During the follow-up, 36.5% of the patients relapsed within 12 months, 75.3% within 2 years and 87.8% within 5 years. And 61.5% of the patients relapsed after drug withdrawal, 11.3% in maintenance treatment and 27.2% with no treatment. Severity, extent of disease and duration of maintenance treatment showed significant differences between the relapsing group and relapsing-free groups (P<0.05).

The relapsing factors of ulcerative colitis are gender, age, severity, extent of disease and duration of maintenance treatment.