Prognosis and follow-up of 135 patients with ischemic colitis over a five-year period.

AIM: To study the prognosis (recurrence and mortality) of patients with ischemic colitis (IC).

METHODS

This study was conducted in four Spanish hospitals, participants in the Ischemic Colitis in Spain study We analyzed prospectively 135 consecutive patients who met criteria for definitive or probable IC according to Brandt criteria, and follow up these patients during the next five years, retrospectively. Long-term results (recurrence and mortality) were evaluated retrospectively after a median interval of 62 mo (range 54-75 mo).

RESULTS

Estimated IC recurrence rates were 2.9%, 5.1%, 8.1% and 9.7% at years 1, 2, 3 and 5 years, respectively. Five-year survival was 69% (93 of 135) and 24% (10 of 42 patients) died for causes related to the IC. Among these 10 patients, 8 died in their first episode at hospital (4 had gangrenous colitis and 4 fulminant colitis) and 2 due to recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The five-year recurrence rate of IC was low. On the other hand, mortality during follow-up was high and was not associated with ischemic colitis.