TY - JOUR

T1 - Incidence and Prevalence of Microscopic Colitis between 2001 and 2016

T2 - A Danish Nationwide Cohort Study

AU - Weimers, Petra

AU - Ankersen, Dorit Vedel

AU - Lophaven, Søren

AU - Bonderup, Ole Kristian

AU - Münch, Andreas

AU - Løkkegaard, Ellen Christine Leth

AU - Burisch, Johan

AU - Munkholm, Pia

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background and Aims: Epidemiological studies suggest an increasing global incidence of microscopic colitis, including collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. We aimed to investigate the incidence and prevalence of microscopic colitis in Denmark. Methods: In a nationwide cohort study, we included all incident patients with a recorded diagnosis of collagenous colitis or lymphocytic colitis in the Danish Pathology Register between 2001 and 2016. Results: A total of 14 302 patients with microscopic colitis - 8437 [59%] with collagenous and 5865 [41%] with lymphocytic colitis - were identified during the study period. The prevalence in December 2016 was estimated to be 197.9 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. Microscopic colitis was more prevalent among females (n = 10 127 [71%]), with a mean annual incidence of 28.8, compared with 12.3 per 100 000 person-years among males. The overall mean incidence during the study period was 20.7 per 100 000 person-years. Mean age at time of diagnosis was 65 years (standard deviation [SD]:14) for microscopic colitis, 67 [SD:13] for collagenous colitis, and 63 [SD:15] for lymphocytic colitis. The overall incidence increased significantly from 2.3 cases in 2001 to 24.3 cases per 100 000 person-years in 2016. However, the highest observed incidence of microscopic colitis was 32.3 cases per 100 000 person-years in 2011. Large regional differences were found, with the highest incidence observed in the least populated region. Conclusions: The incidence of microscopic colitis in Denmark has increased 10-fold during the past 15 years and has now surpassed that of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, incidence has stabilised since 2012, suggesting that a plateau has been reached.

AB - Background and Aims: Epidemiological studies suggest an increasing global incidence of microscopic colitis, including collagenous colitis and lymphocytic colitis. We aimed to investigate the incidence and prevalence of microscopic colitis in Denmark. Methods: In a nationwide cohort study, we included all incident patients with a recorded diagnosis of collagenous colitis or lymphocytic colitis in the Danish Pathology Register between 2001 and 2016. Results: A total of 14 302 patients with microscopic colitis - 8437 [59%] with collagenous and 5865 [41%] with lymphocytic colitis - were identified during the study period. The prevalence in December 2016 was estimated to be 197.9 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. Microscopic colitis was more prevalent among females (n = 10 127 [71%]), with a mean annual incidence of 28.8, compared with 12.3 per 100 000 person-years among males. The overall mean incidence during the study period was 20.7 per 100 000 person-years. Mean age at time of diagnosis was 65 years (standard deviation [SD]:14) for microscopic colitis, 67 [SD:13] for collagenous colitis, and 63 [SD:15] for lymphocytic colitis. The overall incidence increased significantly from 2.3 cases in 2001 to 24.3 cases per 100 000 person-years in 2016. However, the highest observed incidence of microscopic colitis was 32.3 cases per 100 000 person-years in 2011. Large regional differences were found, with the highest incidence observed in the least populated region. Conclusions: The incidence of microscopic colitis in Denmark has increased 10-fold during the past 15 years and has now surpassed that of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, incidence has stabilised since 2012, suggesting that a plateau has been reached.

KW - collagenous colitis

KW - epidemiology

KW - lymphocytic colitis

KW - Microscopic colitis

U2 - 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa108

DO - 10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjaa108

M3 - Review

C2 - 32502240

AN - SCOPUS:85099333010

VL - 14

SP - 1717

EP - 1723

JO - Journal of Crohn's & colitis

JF - Journal of Crohn's & colitis

SN - 1873-9946

IS - 12

ER -