Rectal mucosal prolapse is increasing and presenting earlier in our population

Abstract

Background: Our population is becoming affluent, consuming more meat and less dietary fibers as well as adopting other Western habits, such as defecation in the sitting posture. We posit that these and other factors impact the incidence of rectal mucosal prolapse/solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (RMP/SRUS). Aims: To discover any disease trends in our population regarding RMP/SRUS. Methods: We identified 14 patients in our laboratory information system that had pathological confirmation of RMP/SRUS. As a group, this cohort has a female:male ratio of 1.1 and age range, median age and mean age of 11–79, 35.5 and 39.4, respectively. We then analyzed the cohort in two groups, a more recent group (G1) spanning years 2019-2021 and an earlier group (G2) spanning 2016-2018. G1 has 3 females and 6 males, with age range, median age and mean age of 11–60, 35 and 34.8, respectively. The corresponding figures for G2 are 4 females and 1 male, 30–79, 45 and 47.6. Results & Conclusions: RMP/SRUS is increasing in incidence in Shenzhen and presenting earlier, as well as evolving to be a male predominant disease. Because it presents earlier than colorectal cancer, a fatal disease with overlapping risk factors, RMP/SRUS may be of epidemiologic interest.