Observations on 261 consecutive patients with inflammatory bowel disease seen in the Southwest United States

Two hundred and sixty-one consecutive patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were seen at a private medical and surgical clinic affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, between November 1, 1975, and March 1, 1979. We collected social and demographic data concerning date and place of birth, sex, race, religion, marital status, date and place of disease onset and occupation, in order to determine whether the presentation of IBD in the southwest United States differs from that in other regions. Clinical data concerning presenting symptoms, area of bowel involvement, and number of hospitalizations were tabulated in order to evaluate the mortality and morbidity of disease. Where applicable statistical analysis of the data was accomplished by computer to determine the significance of the findings. Inflammatory bowel disease was noted to be a disease predominantly of whites, with relative sparing of blacks and Latin Americans. Thirteen cases of IBD occurred in a neighboring white, non-Jewish community of Orange, Texas, during the period of study. In the 261 cases morbidity was severe, but the mortality rate was low. There was one death from suicide. No surgical mortalities were noted in 106 patients who underwent one to ten surgical procedures.