Crohn's disease of the distal large bowel

This study describes the clinical features and management of 80 patients with Crohn's disease affecting initially only the rectum with or without involvement of the sigmoid colon. Most patients were treated medically, and the various measures used are considered; the cumulative probability of completing five years under conservative management was 60% among survivors. The related mortality was very low and confined to patients treated surgically; with 655.24 patient-years of follow-up the number of observed deaths was lower than the number expected from all causes. Since this distribution of the disease is usually seen in older patients and carries a favourable prognosis, it it suggested that it should be considered as a well-defined variant of the condition.