Background/aims: The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Japan has been increasing. We aimed to clarify the symptoms of patients with IBD in Japan using an internet-based questionnaire survey.
Methods: Overall, 805 patients with IBD were asked to complete an internet-based questionnaire addressing their history of disturbances in daily activities, prevalence of fecal urgency, incontinence, and treatment preferences.
Results: Responses were obtained from 447 patients with IBD (mean age: 54 years; 70% were men), comprising 363 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 84 with Crohn's disease (CD). Notably, 16% of patients with UC and 35% with CD took over 1 year until the diagnosis of IBD, and 5% of patients with CD visited more than 5 medical institutions. Patients with CD were more likely to experience disturbances in their diet, work, travel, and outings than those with UC. Fecal urgency and incontinence were significantly more frequent in patients with CD than in those with UC (72% vs. 44%, and 50% vs. 26%, respectively). In contrast, 26% of the men and 37% of women with IBD had constipation. Acid reflux, sleep disorders, and depressive symptoms were present in approximately 30% of the patients. Oral administration was preferred.
Conclusions: Patients with IBD in Japan experience more severe disturbances in their daily activities, and these are more severe in those with CD than those with UC. In addition to fecal urgency and incontinence, care is required for constipation, acid reflux, sleep disorders, and depressive symptoms.
Keywords: Crohn's disease; constipation; diagnostic delay; ulcerative colitis; urgency.
© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.