[Follow-up and social consequences of Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis]

We studied the course and particularly the social consequences of Crohn's disease (n = 107) and ulcerative colitis extending beyond the sigmoid colon (n = 22) during the first 6.1 respectively 6.3 years after onset.

Under common treatment, the disease activity decreased and the body mass index increased significantly in the majority of patients, but about 30% of them reached no continuous remission. The professional training was delayed in 23% of patients with Crohn's disease and 9% of those with ulcerative colitis. However, by objective datas and in the patients' own opinion the effect of both diseases on the professional qualification and occupational status which were reached in the end was small. The percentage of partly occupied patients and those without work compared to that of healthy ones. 11% of patients with Crohn's disease and 14% with ulcerative colitis had to retire prematurely. The patients' family status and the number of their children matched largely that of healthy men and women of same age.