Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Europe

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown aetiology. They may lead to life-long ill health. There is at present no cure for CD, and, although effective medico-surgical measures are available for the management of UC, patients are encouraged to come to terms with the consequences of their disease often in the years of maximum achievement. For these reasons it is essential to increase our understanding of their cause and those factors that lead to relapse.