Gay men are two times more likely to have inflammatory bowel disease, according to new research

Gay men are more than twice as likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than heterosexual men when both populations engage in high-risk sexual activity, according to new research from the Digestive Health Research Institute at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UH).

The team evaluated self-reported data from patients treated at 58 healthcare organizations in the U.S. between 2002 and 2022.

The data showed that in patients with a diagnosis of high-risk same-sex sexual activity, 0.8% were diagnosed with Crohn's disease and 1.26% with ulcerative colitis. These findings were compared to men who engage in high-risk heterosexual activity, of which, 0.49% had Crohn's disease and 0.52% had ulcerative colitis.

High-risk sexual activity as defined in this study includes sexual contact without barrier protection as well as having multiple sexual partners.

The team also further analyzed the data in relation to Crohn's disease and found men who engaged in high-risk same-sex sexual activity were more likely to have peri-anal disease including peri-anal abscess, rectal abscess and stricturing disease of the colon or small intestine. Among those with severe manifestations of ulcerative colitis, men who engaged in high-risk same-sex sexual activity were more likely to undergo partial colectomy.

Reference:

Emad Mansoor et al,Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in men with high-risk homosexual activity,Gut