Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Increase 25% Among Under-20s

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is increasingly affecting people at an earlier age: over the past 15 years, its prevalence in young people under 20 has increased by 25%. This is supported by a study conducted in the United States and published in the journal Gastroenterology.

The impact on the quality of life of children and adolescents can be devastating, especially at school and in relationships with others. A new national survey promoted by AMICI Italia in 2024 conducted on a sample of students between 7 and 20 years old affected by IBD, showed that 40% of children are afraid to use the bathroom at school, while 1 in 4 has been mocked in front of others for their condition. And, despite the numerous absences from class related to the disease, only 17% of students have access to a Personalized Educational Plan or a support teacher.

These are some of the themes at the center of the national event promoted by AMICI Italia, scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 17 May, in Bologna, on the eve of World IBD Day, which is celebrated on 19 May. Crucial issues such as acceThe event will be broadcast live on AMICI Italia's social channels.

“Inflammatory Bowel Diseases are complex pathologies with a chronic and relapsing course – explains Paolo Gionchetti , full professor of internal medicine and head of IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Diseases) at the IRCCS Policlinico Sant'Orsola, University of Bologna –. They manifest themselves with phases of exacerbation that alternate with periods of remission, often unpredictable, and represent a clinical and human challenge for both patients and healthcare professionals. The precise causes of these pathologies remain unknown, which makes their management and prevention even more difficult. In Italy, it is estimated that over 250,000 people live with IBD, while globally the number exceeds 5 million. These figures require us to urgently reflect on the importance of early diagnosis, uniform access to therapies and psychological and social support for patients. Today, doctors can no longer limit themselves to managing the clinical aspect alone: ​​they must adopt a multidisciplinary approach. multidimensional, which takes into account the quality of life, emotional well-being, family, school or work context in which the patient lives. This means working in a team with nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, pharmacists and, where possible, with patient associations.”

The research

The American study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and conducted by researchers from the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Pennsylvania, analyzed data on approximately 2.7 million children, adolescents and young adults between the ages of 4 and 20, from five states (Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and California). Among the findings, in addition to the increase in the prevalence of IBD in general, it emerged that since 2011, pediatric Crohn's disease rates have increased by approximately 22%, while pediatric ulcerative colitis rates have increased by approximately 29%.

“There is a growing impact of IBD on the pediatric population,” says Fernando Rizzello , associate professor at the IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) unit of the IRCCS Policlinico Sant'Orsola, University of Bologna. “Living with IBD in childhood means dealing, often in silence, with recurrent abdominal pain, urgent diarrhea, and persistent fatigue. But the burden is not only physical: social stigma, a sense of isolation, and poor understanding from the school and social environment can transform even the simplest daily routine, like going to school, into an experience of suffering and frustration.”

The Amici Italia survey

The data from the AMICI Italia survey paint a picture of a reality that is difficult to ignore: young people forced to hide, to feel different, or worse still 'guilty' of an urgent physiological need. So much so that 44% of young people say they go to school even when they are not well, precisely to avoid judgment or criticism. One in two adolescents declares having problems with socialization, but only a small portion has ever had access to psychological support. "We can no longer allow this to happen," says the president of Amici Italia, Mara Pellizzari . "We are working to promote proper inclusion that guarantees the right to study, health and participation."

IBD is a challenge not only for patients but also for specialists. “Doctors find themselves having to deal with it in the various diagnostic and treatment pathways in an Italy that is too often characterized by territorial disparities,” explains Massimo Fantini, secretary of IG IBD, the Italian group for the study of inflammatory bowel diseases and professor of medical sciences at the University of Cagliari. “For this reason, the Italian Group for Research in the Field of IBD (IGIBD) promotes medical culture in the field of IBD in all its aspects and is committed to acting as an institutional spokesperson for the needs that are still unmet, such as access times for new therapies at a regional level and the construction of specific therapeutic pathways regarding aspects that are still neglected today, such as nutritional status.”

Advances in treatment and surgery

“Surgery has always been a fundamental component in the management of IBD, especially in the most complex cases that are refractory to medical therapies,” emphasizes Gilberto Poggioli , full professor of surgery, head of digestive system surgery at the IRCCS Policlinico Sant'Orsola, University of Bologna. “Today, the surgical approach has changed: increasingly less invasive interventions, laparoscopic and robotic techniques, and greater personalization of therapeutic strategies have made it possible to reduce recovery times and preserve the patient's quality of life as much as possible.”