Clinical and Demographic Profile of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients in a Tertiary Center in Eastern Nepal

Abstract

BACKGROUND Chron’s disease (CD) and Ulcerative colitis (UC) comprise of Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD) which are chronic inflammatory disease of gastrointestinal tract. This study aims to determine the clinical and demographic profile of IBD patients.

METHODS The study was a cross-sectional study done at BP Koirala institute of Health Sciences, Dharan from 15th September 2025 to 14th February 2026. Demographic and clinical data waere collected from patients with established IBD.

RESULTS Out of 62 patients, 48(77.41%) had UC and 14(22.58%) had CD with male predominance (M: F- 1.81:1). The mean age of IBD patients at diagnosis was 45.14±17.52. The median time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis was 14 (2-48) months in CD and 7.5 (2-24) months in UC. CD mostly affected the ileocolonic location 42.85% and had inflammatory behavior (non stricturing and non-penetrating) in 50%. Extensive colitis (E3) and Left side colitis (E2) were found in 43.75% and 41.66% respectively in UC. The most common extra intestinal manifestation was arthritis and arthralgia at 17.74%. Most of the IBD patients were treated with conventional drugs, mesalamine, prednisolone and azathioprine. Biologics were used in only 9.67%.

CONCLUSIONS UC had predominance over CD in IBD. Most of the patients with IBD were male and in age group 30-60 years. E3 and E2 diseases were equally distributed in UC. While most of the CD patients had ileo-colonic involvement and inflammatory behavior. Treatment of IBD is mostly by traditional drugs like mesalamine, prednisolone and azathioprine due to high cost of biologics therapy.