Inflammatory Bowel Disease Among a Sample of Libyan Patients in Tripoli University Hospital

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder with increasing global prevalence due to the westernization of lifestyles, with many advanced therapies adopted recently. This study aimed to characterize the patterns and management of IBD among Libyan patients attending Tripoli University Hospital (TUH). This descriptive study utilized registry data from the outpatient department at TUH, collecting anonymous information from 69 confirmed cases of IBD patients aged 16 years and older between June and October 2023. About 72.5% of the patients had Crohn's disease (CD), and 27.5% had UC, indicating a predominance of CD (ratio 0.38:1). The median age at diagnosis was 28 years for UC and 23.5 years for CD. Males predominated in both CD (84.4%) and UC (62.2%). All reported smokers were diagnosed with CD. Anemia was prevalent in 41.18% of all IBD patients (36% in CD, 52.6% in UC), a rate considerably higher than reported in European cohorts. Notably, the study observed a high remission rate of approximately 86% (by HBI). A predominance of Crohn’s disease over ulcerative colitis in Libyan patients was observed, with younger age at diagnosis, high anemia prevalence, and high remission rates linked to infliximab therapy and long-term follow-up. Larger multicenter studies are needed to confirm and generalize these findings