New research published today in the Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis reveals that South Asian patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are more likely to have a certain form of the disease and be diagnosed at a younger age compared to their white counterparts.
Funded by Bowel Research UK and the National Institute of Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, this study is the largest analysis to date on South Asian IBD patients in the UK.
IBD is a group of diseases that cause inflammation in the digestive tract, including Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and a sudden urge to use the bathroom. Treatment for IBD often involves medication or surgery.
The research team analyzed data from over 30,000 patients and found that ulcerative colitis was more common in South Asian IBD patients compared to their white counterparts (57% vs 45%). Additionally, South Asian patients were diagnosed an average of two years earlier than white patients. The study also found that IBD was more prevalent in South Asian men than women, while in the white population, both genders were equally affected.
According to Dr. Sharmili Balarajah, a Bowel Research UK researcher, gastroenterology trainee at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, and doctoral student at Imperial College London, this research is groundbreaking as it reveals distinct variations in IBD among different ethnic groups. By understanding these differences, personalized treatment approaches can be developed to address the specific needs of IBD patients.
The study also found that IBD behaves differently in South Asian patients compared to white patients. South Asians were more likely to have the large bowel affected, less likely to have narrowing of the bowel, and more likely to have extensive large bowel inflammation in UC.
Furthermore, the research team assessed whether the two ethnic groups received the same level of care and found that there was consistency in the treatment received regardless of ethnicity.
Lindsay Easton, CEO of Bowel Research UK, expressed the importance of this research in shedding light on how to tailor care for different groups and understand the development of IBD. IBD affects approximately 300,000 people in the UK, with most cases being diagnosed before the age of 35.
This research was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/ and is a significant step towards improving the care and treatment of IBD patients, providing hope for a better future for those living with this debilitating disease.