Progression of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Throughout Latin America and the Caribbean: A Systematic Review

Published incidence figures from some areas of Brazil, China and India are near the Western-world Coalescing Incidence Range, such as 6-11 per 100,000 for ulcerative colitis.

“For example, some regions in Brazil, China and India already have published incidence values that are close to the Coalescing Incidence Range (for example, 6–11 per 100,000 for ulcerative colitis) in the Western world4,49,53,57.”

IBD diagnosis is skewed towards ulcerative colitis in lower income regions with limited technology, but as economies improve and health-care infrastructure develops, physicians can more accurately diagnose Crohn's disease.

“The diagnosis of IBD is skewed towards ulcerative colitis in lower income regions with limited technology (for example, access only to sigmoidoscopy); however, as economies improve, so too does health-care infrastructure (for example, access to specialists and colonoscopy), which improves the ability of physicians to accurately diagnose Crohn’s disease49.”

Historically, IBD typically emerges in a population as ulcerative colitis, followed later by Crohn's disease, and over time Crohn's disease becomes more commonly diagnosed as its incidence approximates or surpasses ulcerative colitis.

“Historically, IBD typically emerges in a population as cases of ulcerative colitis, eventually followed by cases of Crohn’s disease. Over time, Crohn’s disease becomes more commonly diagnosed as the incidence approximates and, in some cases, surpasses that of ulcerative colitis49.”

Prevalence remains low in most regions of Latin America.

“Similarly, prevalence remains low in most regions in Latin America.”

A systematic review of Latin American studies documented IBD emergence in the twentieth century with rapidly rising incidence during the twenty-first century.

“Moreover, a systematic review of clinical and epidemiological studies on IBD from Latin America documented the emergence of IBD in the twentieth century with a rapidly rising incidence during the twenty-first century49.”

The prevalent IBD population in newly industrialized Asian and Latin American countries is younger than the ageing Western IBD population.

“The prevalent IBD population in newly industrialized countries of Asia and Latin America have a younger age demographic as compared with the ageing IBD population of the Western world49.”