Inflammatory bowel disease has double the risk of serious blood clots, study finds Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may have more than double the risk of serious blood clots in the lungs or lower extremities, according to new research.IBD refers broadly to a range of bowel dysfunctions such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Studies have found that children and adults with this disorder are more than twice as likely as normal to have serious blood clots in the lower extremities, called deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary infarction in the lungs. The incidence of both types of embolism in developed countries is 2 in 1,000 per year, and this risk increases with age. However, in this study, researchers found that patients with concomitant IBD had a significantly higher risk of thrombosis. In people younger than 20 years of age, the risk of pulmonary embolism was six times higher in patients with IBD compared to patients of the same age without IBD. This study compared 49,799 Danish adults and children with pulmonary embolism and deep vein embolism with IBD and 477,000 patients without IBD between 1980 and 2007. In addition to other factors known to increase the risk of embolism, such as fractures, surgery, or pregnancy, the researchers found that patients with IBD were twice as likely to develop deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism as those without IBD. In further analysis, the researchers took into account the increased risk of blood clots associated with chronic medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and treatment with hormone replacement therapy and antipsychotic medications. They found that patients with IBD still had an 80 percent chance of developing blood clots. Researchers Michael Kappelman, M.D., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues believe this structure confirms previous research that IBD increases the risk of blood clots. In addition, they suggest that IBD may be an independent risk factor for the development of blood clots and that some patients may benefit from preventive therapy.