A research group from Toho University, Kyorin University, and Osaka Metropolitan University conducted a nationwide epidemiological survey on the number of patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The study revealed that the number of ulcerative colitis patients in 2023 was approximately 317,000, representing a 1.4-fold increase compared with 2015 eight years earlier, as announced on September 19. Measures to address these diseases are expected. The findings were published in the Journal of Gastroenterology on September 2.
The bar chart shows the estimated prevalence, with error bars indicating the 95% confidence interval.
Provided by Toho University
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are intractable inflammatory bowel diseases characterized by alternating relapse and remission. Nationwide epidemiological surveys were conducted in Japan in 1991 and 2015. In 2015, the number of patients was estimated at approximately 220,000 for ulcerative colitis and approximately 71,000 for Crohn's disease, confirming a 10-fold increase over the 24 years since 1991.
The research group selected 3,583 clinical departments and clinics as survey target facilities through stratified random sampling from 12,153 clinical departments and clinics (internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and pediatric surgery) listed in the national hospital directory, taking into account factors such as the number of hospital beds. Survey request letters were sent to the target facilities, and responses were obtained from 1,798 clinical departments regarding the number of male and female patients (regardless of initial or return visits) who received care during the year 2023. The results showed annual prevalence rates per 100,000 population of 254.8 persons for ulcerative colitis (male: 297.5, female: 214.4) and 77 persons for Crohn's disease (male: 112.9, female: 43).
The study demonstrated that the number of patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in Japan has shown a consistent increasing trend. These results represent the nationwide disease burden including mild cases and patients without beneficiary certificates and will serve as a foundation for future healthcare policy and medical care system development.
Journal Information
Publication: Journal of Gastroenterology
Title: Nationwide estimates of patient numbers and prevalence rates of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in Japan in 2023
DOI: 10.1007/s00535-025-02295-z
This article has been translated by JST with permission from The Science News Ltd. (https://sci-news.co.jp/). Unauthorized reproduction of the article and photographs is prohibited.