Korean J Gastroenterol.  2002 Jul;40(1):1-14.

Current Status and Clinical Characteristics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Korea

• Yang SK

Abstract

The incidence and prevalence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Korea are still low compared with those of the Western countries, but have been increasing rapidly during the past decades. The data from Japan and Korea suggest that westernization in lifestyles including dietary habits as well as environmental changes caused by industrialization and urbanization are probably responsible for the change in the incidence. Also, the results of the genetic studies from Japan and Korea suggest that there may be some differences in candidate genes which predispose to IBD between Asian and Western countries. The prognosis of IBD in Korea seems to be better than that in the Western countries. It is not certain, however, whether this difference means intrinsic difference of IBD between Korea and Western countries, or reflects the presence of some other factors such as temporal bias. Although further studies are needed, current data suggest that the prognosis of IBD in Korea is at least as good as that in Western countries.

Keyword

Inflammatory bowel diseases; Colitis; ulcerative; Crohn disease; Korea

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Bias (Epidemiology)
Colitis
Crohn Disease
Food Habits
Humans
Incidence
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases*
Japan
Korea*
Life Style
Prevalence
Prognosis
Urbanization
Industrial Development