Epidemiological aspects of Crohn's disease in Clydesdale 1961-1970.

A retrospective study of Crohn's disease has been carried out in Clydesdale covering the decade 1961-1970. Three hundred and fifty-seven patients had acceptable evidence of either acute ileitis or of chronic granulomatous bowel disease. Of those fulfilling the criteria for inclusion in the study of chronic disease, 95% had accurate pathological and/or operative documentation of the lesions. Overall, females outnumbered males by 1-6:1 but colonic disease alone tended to affect females, particularly those over the age of 50. The annual incidence of all forms of the chronic disease in both sexes has increased during the decade, but diagnosis of colonic disease alone increased two-fold in the latter half of the study.