Analysis of clinical characteristics of 117 cases of ischemic colitis

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze and study the clinical features associated with 117 cases of ischemic colitis (IC), so as to guide the diagnosis and treatment in future clinics. METHODS: Through systematic case search, the clinical data of inpatients discharged from the Department of Gastroenterology of the Second People's Hospital of Anhui Province, with discharge diagnosis of IC, were collected from December 1, 2019 to December 31, 2024, and the general characteristics and related risk factors of IC patients were explored. RESULTS: A total of 136 IC patients were collected, and 117 patients were finally enrolled. Among them, there were 26 males and 91 females, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:3.5. The mean age was 65.18±13.56 years. The percentage of patients over 60 years old was 65.81% (77/117). There were 86 patients with underlying diseases, the most common underlying diseases were hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease in that order. 69 patients had a history of medication use, the most common medication histories were antihypertensive, antiplatelet, statin, and hypoglycemic agents in that order. 81 (69.23%) patients had blood in the stool due to abdominal pain as the first and main symptom. Grouping by clinical staging was statistically significant for elevated neutrophils, elevated CRP, positive CT and CAR ratio. Grouping by age, statistically significant were underlying disease and drug history. Conclusion: 1. IC is predominantly seen in elderly female patients ≥60 years of age and endoscopic lesions are more common in the left hemicolon. 2. The most common underlying diseases in patients with IC were hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease in that order. The most common medication histories in patients with IC were antihypertensive, antiplatelet, statin, and hypoglycemic agents in that order. 3. The main and first symptom of IC patients is abdominal pain and blood in the stool. 4. Neutrophil elevation, CRP elevation, CT positivity and CAR ratio were statistically higher in patients with other types of IC than in patients with one-pass type of IC, and may be used to predict the severity of lesions in patients with IC.