Ethnic Differences In Inflammatory

Ethnic specific differences in inflammation may have diverse determinants. For instance, low socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with increased levels of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α. It is therefore possible that SES may partially explain why certain ethnicities are at higher risk for inflammatory problems. Inflammatory bowel diseases include ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD). The etiology of IBD is not fully understood and is influenced by environmental, genetic and immunological factors. The geographic variation of IBD is well known. The highest prevalence rates are reported in North America and Northern Europe, whereas the prevalence rates are much lower in eastern European and Asian populations. It has been shown that higher incidence rates of IBD are associated with westernization. People who immigrate to westernized countries have a higher risk for developing IBD. The prevalence of IBD is additionally different among ethnic groups of immigrant populations. Nguyen et al. showed a higher prevalence of IBD in Non-Hispanic whites compared with Non-Hispanic blacks. The same study showed a better ratio of IBD hospitalizations and IBDrelated mortality in Non-Hispanic blacks compared with Non-Hispanic whites. This suggests a different IBD phenotype among ethnic groups. Based on this assumption, we've investigated the clinical phenotype of CD in first and second degree Moroccan immigrants as compared to Caucasian immigrants within the Antwerp University Hospital.