Analysis of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease admitted to emergency department

Purpose: We aimed to provide guidance to emergency physicians by analyzing the complaints, frequency, demographic characteristics, laboratory tests and diagnoses of patients diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Materials and Method: This retrospective study was conducted between 01.01.2022 and 31.12.2022 in Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, Department of Emergency Medicine. A total of 229 patients older than 18 years of age with a known diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease who presented to the emergency department were included in the study. Patients were analyzed according to age, gender, known chronic diseases, vital signs, laboratory results and complaints at presentation and the diagnoses and outcomes were compared. Results: The male/female ratio of the cases in our study was 1,20/1. The ratio of Crohn's Disease (CD) to Ulcerative Colitis (UC) was 1,75/1. The mean age was 42.7±14.12 (19-75) years. The most common diagnoses were UC attack with 33.73% and CD attack with 24.65%. Among comorbidities, the association of diabetes mellitus (p=0.009) and hypothyroidism (p=0.010) with UC was significant. Presentation with bloody diarrhea was significantly higher in UC (p<0.001). Hospitalization was significantly higher in patients presenting to the emergency department with weight loss (p=0.014), black stools (p=0.016), general condition disorder (p=0.004), and bloody vomiting (p=0.016). Conclusion: Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease may present to emergency departments with many complaints and may receive different diagnoses. In our study, 132 patients (57.6%) were diagnosed with non-attack internal diseases and 33 patients (14.4%) were diagnosed with non-attack surgery. Although CD and UC were the most common diagnoses in the emergency department, non-attack diagnoses were also seen quite frequently. Keywords: Emergency Department; Crohn's Disease; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Ulcerative Colitis