Clinical status, psychosocial impairments, medical treatment and health care costs for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Germany: An online IBD registry

Background: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to establish an online inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) registry for a first picture of the situation of IBD outpatients' treatment in Germany. Methods: Between March 2006 and July 2007 IBD outpatients from 24 gastroenterological specialist practices and two hospitals in Germany were enrolled in an Internet-based registry to evaluate the outpatients' clinical status, psychological impairments, provided health care, as well as medical treatment and medication costs. Results: 1032 IBD patients (ulcerative colitis/UC: 519; Crohn's disease/CD: 511; indeterminate colitis: 2) were enrolled in the study (age: 43 ± 14. years/M ± SD). Disease duration of all patients averaged 10 ± 8.5. years. In 519 UC-patients (49% male; 33% pancolitis), 66% were in remission as were 55% of CD patients (37 % male; 41 % active smokers). Associated with higher rates of disease activity (CDAI ≥ 150; CAI > 4) were corticosteroids (CD, UC), topical medication (UC), relevant reported depressive symptoms (15%; 6-31%) and impairments in sexuality (21%; 9-42%). Relevant medication groups prescribed were oral aminosalicylates (UC: 70%; CD: 47%); immunosuppressive therapy - mostly azathioprine/6 MP (CD: 47%; UC: 26%), and Infliximab (CD: 8%; UC: 3%).Strongly associated with their clinical disease activity in UC as well as CD patients, 15% (6-31%) reported relevant depressive symptoms and 21% (9-42%) relevant impairments in sexuality. Conclusions: The registry constitutes a large complemental database for the patient population in Germany. About one third of the IBD patients were not in clinical remission (CDAI ≥ 150/CAI > 4) (CD: 45%; UC: 27%), although high rates of immunosuppressive drugs (CD: 47%; UC 26%) were administered. This study shows a large burden of active disease associated with an unexpectedly high (co)morbidity and high psychosocial impairments, indicating a reduced health state in IBD patients.