Does living in crowded houses offer protection against the development of inflammatory bowel disease?

A.M. El-Tawil, P. Nightingale, M.A. Cox

Department of Surgery East Wing, University Hospital of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. atawil20052003@yahoo.co.uk

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• Gastroenterology

INTRODUCTION: The credibility of the “Hygiene hypothesis” in patients with inflammatory bowel disease has been assessed.

OBJECTIVE: This survey is aimed at finding an answer for the question: “Does living in crowded or overcrowded houses protect against the development of inflammatory bowel disease?”

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Asian immigrants to the United Kingdom who attended inflammatory bowel diseases’ clinics during the period of the study and who fulfilled Leonard-Jones criteria were asked to complete a questionnaire. The participants were asked to respond to questions on age, sex, their birth rank, diagnosis, & number of brothers, sisters, sons and daughters.

RESULTS: 60% of the participants had four or more brothers and sisters. Forty per cent of the participants grew in crowded houses (occupied the fourth birth rank).

CONCLUSIONS: Our presented data do not support any role of the number of house inhabitants in the development of inflammatory bowel disease.

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