15 Jun 2023 • According to a study published yesterday in the online issue of the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are more likely to have a stroke than people without the disease. The study found that people with IBD were 13% more likely to have a stroke up to 25 years after their diagnosis than people without IBD. The study does not prove that IBD causes stroke; it only shows an association.

• The study involved 85,006 people with IBD confirmed with a biopsy. They were each matched with up to five people of the same birth year, sex and county of residence who did not have IBD, for a total of 406,987 people.
• During an average follow-up of 12 years, people with IBD were 13% more likely to have a stroke than those without IBD.
• Researchers found that the increased risk was mainly due to ischemic stroke, rather than hemorrhagic stroke
• Considering IBD and stroke have some genetic components predisposing people to the disease, researchers also included in the study full siblings of the people with IBD.
• Consistent with the main results, people with IBD had a higher risk of stroke than their siblings without IBD. Their overall risk was 11% higher.

“These results show that people with inflammatory bowel disease and their doctors should be aware of this long-term increased risk,” said study author Jiangwei Sun. “Screening and management of stroke risk factors may be more urgent in people with IBD.”

Source: American Academy of Neurology | Read full story