Crohn's disease: a ten year retrospective review at Dunedin hospitals

Based on strictly defined criteria, 48 patients were judged to have Crohn's disease in a retrospective 10 year survey of Dunedin Hospital case notes. An apparent increase in the frequency of this disease in the Otago area is documented. Age (mean 39.5 years) and sex distribution (female/male:1.6/1) of cases and the patterns of clinical presentation are in accordance with similar studies in other countries. Mean follow up was for 28 months (range 3-108 months). The dominant localisation of the disease was to the large bowel only (60%), or large bowel plus terminal ileum (17%) with only 23% having disease confined to the small bowel. This is the reverse of experience in a similar survey recently reported from Auckland. No cases were detected in Polynesians in either survey. The difficulty of early and accurate diagnosis of Crohn's disease is emphasised. Although 21 (44%) of the patients required some surgery, no deaths were recorded in these patients.