Cost benefit of longterm follow-up of uncomplicated Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease is a chronic disease with onset early in life and an unpredictable course with ups and downs during many years and perhaps lifelong. To my knowledge, only one study has been published about the medical cost for CD (1). This study used a literaturebased medical decision algorithm to estimate the expected costs of the illness per patient. From this study, it appears that surgery and hospitalization make up 70% of the total costs, medication I 10/c and outpatient medical care only 3%. Outpatient medical care cost is principally determined by 4 factors 3