Crohn's & Colitis 360最新文献

Background: Stool characteristics are used as a measure of ulcerative colitis (UC) disease activity, but they have not been validated against objective inflammation. We aimed to determine whether stool characteristics measured by trained artificial intelligence (AI) and physicians correlate with inflammation in UC.

Methods: Patients hospitalized with acute severe UC (ASUC) were asked to capture images of all bowel movements using a smartphone application (Dieta®). Validated AI was used to measure five stool characteristics including the Bristol stool scale. Additionally, four physicians scored each image for blood amount, mucus amount, and whether stool was in a toilet or commode. AI measurements and mean physician scores were rank-normalized and correlated with rank-normalized CRP values using mixed linear regression models. Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare median CRP values of images with and without mucus and with and without blood.

Results: We analyzed 151 stool images collected from 5 patients admitted with ASUC (mean age 42 years, 40% male). Overall, Bristol stool scale and fragmentation positively correlated with CRP, while stool consistency negatively correlated with CRP. The median CRP of images with mucus was higher than that of images without mucus.

Conclusions: Smartphone application AI measurements of Bristol stool scale, stool consistency, and stool fragmentation significantly correlate with CRP values in hospitalized patients with ASUC. Additionally, median CRPs are higher when mucus is seen. Further training of smartphone-based AI algorithms to validate the association of stool characteristics with objective inflammation may yield a novel, noninvasive tool for UC disease monitoring.

Background: There is limited data on the long-term clinical outcomes of bio-naïve ulcerative colitis (UC) patients who are initiated on adalimumab (ADA). Our study aims to evaluate the clinical course of a nationwide cohort of bio naïve UC patients who were started on ADA, and then followed for 5 years after initiation of the drug.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the US Veteran Affairs Healthcare System (VAHS). Bio naïve UC patients were followed for 5 years after initiation of ADA. The primary outcome was to determine the time to discontinuation of ADA and if patients achieved endoscopic remission by the end of follow-up.

Results: A total of 387 patients were included among whom 193 (49.87%) had pancolitis. The highest rate of ADA discontinuation was within the first year, with the elderly having a higher rate of discontinuation (HR 1.67, 95% CI: 1.14-2.45) and those on concomitant immunomodulators having a lower rate of discontinuation (HR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.48-1.03). In total, 125 (32.30%) patients remained on ADA at the end of their maximum follow-up. 54 (43.90%) achieved endoscopic remission.

Conclusion: Among bio-naive UC patients who were started on ADA, a third were still on the drug at the end of 5 years and half had endoscopic remission. The rate of discontinuation was highest within the first year of initiation, but patients continued to stop the drug over the course of follow-up.

Background: Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) often cycle through conventional therapies (CT) with different mechanisms of action (MOA) before initiating advanced therapy (AT). We describe treatment patterns among patients with CD/UC.

Methods: Using Merative MarketScan Research databases, adult patients with CD/UC were identified from medical/pharmacy claims (2017-2021). Patients had ≥1 hospitalization or ≥2 outpatient visits (≥30 days apart within 1 year) for CD/UC. Two cohorts were established; cohort 1: Newly diagnosed patients (index date is the date of first diagnosis) and cohort 2: Patients initiating AT (index date is the date of first AT). First-line treatment patterns (cohort 1) and CT pathways before AT initiation (cohort 2) by the number of episodes (ie, adding a new therapy, switching to another therapy, or restarting the same therapy after ≥60 days) and MOA are reported.

Results: Among newly diagnosed patients in cohort 1 (CD: n = 1739; UC: n = 2740), 14.4% (CD) and 5.9% (UC) of patients had any AT use during the follow-up period (mean: 2.3 years; ≥ 77% initiated corticosteroids). Among patients in cohort 2 (CD: n = 2594; UC: n = 2431), the mean number of CT episodes before AT initiation was 4.0 ± 4.3 (CD) and 5.9 ± 5.0 (UC). Among those with ≥1 corticosteroid episode (CD: 82.2%; UC: 91.5%), the mean number of episodes was 4.6 ± 4.3 (CD) and 6.3 ± 5.0 (UC). Overall, 13.3% (CD) and 23.7% (UC) of patients cycled through 3 MOAs before AT initiation.

Conclusions: Despite treatment recommendations, few newly diagnosed CD/UC patients initiated AT as their first treatment. Moreover, patients cycled through multiple CTs before initiating AT.

Background: Successful Crohn's disease (CD) therapy relies on timely and precise management strategies. Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) has been applied as a first-line treatment for symptomatic CD-associated strictures due to its minimally invasive nature and the possibility of preserving intestinal length.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine patient-related predictive factors associated with the need for surgery for CD-associated ileocolic strictures after technically successful EBD.

Methods: All original studies published before December 2023 that reported the outcomes of patients treated with EBD for ileocolic strictures secondary to CD and described follow-up for at least 1 year were included. The difference in risk of needing surgery was calculated for 8 different patient characteristics (Sex, smoking habit, previous surgery, biologic therapy, steroids, immunosuppressors, nature of the stricture, and endoscopic disease activity).

Results: There were significant differences in the risk of needing surgery after EBD among patients who underwent surgery and patients without a history of surgery (RD: -0.20 [-0.31, -0.08]), patients with endoscopic mucosal activity and patients in remission at the time of EBD (RD: 0.19 [0.04, 0.34]), patients using biologics at the time of EBD and patients not using biologics (RD: -0.09 [-0.16, -0.03]), and patients using steroids and those not using steroids at the time of EBD (RD: 0.16 [0.07, 0.26]).

Conclusions: The use of biologics and endoscopic disease remission at the time of EBD were protective factors against the need for surgery. No previous surgery or use of steroids at the time of EBD was associated with the need for surgery during follow-up.

Introduction: Pouchitis is the most common complication in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA), which can develop in up to 66% of patients. There is limited data on the effect of orthoptic liver transplantation (OLT) on the risk of developing pouchitis. We aimed to objectively assess whether OLT itself significantly modifies the risk of developing pouchitis in patients with overlap PSC and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Method: We searched Medline, Scopus, and Embase databases from inception through September 2023 for studies that describe the outcomes of IPAA in patients with PSC and IBD who also have a history of OLT. Pooled proportions, Odds Ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for data were calculated utilizing a random effects model. Using the Freeman-Turkey double arcsine transformation (FTT) method, the pooled weight-adjusted estimate of event rates for clinical outcomes in each group was also calculated. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Cochrane Q statistic (I²).

Results: Seven studies with a total of 291 patients with a history of PSC, IBD, and OLT were identified. The pooled overall risk of pouchitis in PSC/IBD patients with a history of OLT was 65% (95% CI: 0.57-0.72), with no heterogeneity observed in the analysis (I² = 0%). In a subgroup analysis of patients who had IPAA followed by OLT, 3 studies with 28 patients were included; the pooled risk of pouchitis after IPAA and OLT was 83% (95% CI: 0.71-0.94; I² = 0%), which was significantly higher (P < .001) than the OLT followed by IPAA group (59%; 95 CI: 0.48-0.71; I² = 0%). There was no difference in the risk of pouchitis between OLT and non-OLT groups (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 0.37-5.0).

Conclusions: Our meta-analysis revelaed that pouchitis is common in patients who underwent OLT for PSC, especially in those who had IPAA before the OLT. OLT before IPAA may reduce the risk of pouchitis. Further larger studies are warranted to reproduce this and investigate the reason behind this difference.

Background: Colorectal surgery in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and cirrhosis has increased morbidity, which may preclude surgery. Preoperative transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is postulated to reduce surgical risk. In this retrospective single-center study, we characterized perioperative outcomes in patients with IBD and cirrhosis who underwent preoperative TIPS.

Methods: We identified patients with IBD and cirrhosis who had undergone preoperative TIPS for portal decompression between 2010 and 2023. All other indications for TIPS led to patient exclusion. Demographic and medical data were collected, including portal pressure measurements. Primary outcome of interest was perioperative outcomes.

Results: Ten patients met the inclusion criteria. The most common surgical indications were dysplasia (50%) and refractory IBD (50%). TIPS was performed at a median of 47 days (IQR 34-80) before surgery, with reduction in portal pressures (22.5 vs. 18.5 mmHg, P < .01) and portosystemic gradient (12.5 vs. 5.5 mmHg, P < .01). Perioperative complications occurred in 80% of patients, including surgical site bleeding (30%), wound dehiscence (10%), systemic infection (30%), liver function elevation (50%), and coagulopathy (50%). No patients required re-operation, with median length of stay being 7 days (IQR 5.5-9.3). The 30-day readmission rate was 40%, most commonly for infection (75%), with 2 patients having intra-abdominal abscesses and 1 patient with concern for bowel ischemia. Ninety-day and one-year survival was 100% and 90%, respectively. Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)-cirrhosis were noted to have higher perioperative morbidity and a 30-day readmission rate.

Conclusions: In patients with IBD and cirrhosis, preoperative TIPS facilitated successful surgical intervention despite heightened risk. Nevertheless, significant complications were noted, in particular for patients with PSC-cirrhosis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/crocol/otae010.].

Introduction: We recently showed that CAPTURE-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-a care coordination intervention comprised of routine remote monitoring of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and a care coordinator-triggered care pathway-was more effective at reducing symptom burden for patients with IBD compared to usual care. We aimed to understand how patients and care team providers experienced the intervention and evaluate purported mechanisms of action to plan for future implementation.

Methods: In this study, 205 patients were randomized to CAPTURE-IBD (n = 100) or usual care(n = 105). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 of the 100 participants in the CAPTURE-IBD arm and 5 care team providers to achieve thematic saturation. We used qualitative rapid analysis to generate a broad understanding of experiences, perceived impact, the coordinator role, and suggested improvements.

Results: Findings highlight that the intervention was acceptable and user-friendly, despite concerns regarding increased nursing workload. Both participants and care team providers perceived the intervention as valuable in supporting symptom monitoring, psychosocial care, and between-visit action plans to improve IBD care and health outcomes. However, few participants leveraged the care coordinator as intended. Finally, participants reported that the intervention could be better tailored to capture day-to-day symptom changes and to meet the needs of patients with specific comorbid conditions (eg, ostomies).

Conclusions: Remote PRO monitoring is acceptable and may be valuable in improving care management, promoting tight control, and supporting whole health in IBD. Future efforts should focus on testing and implementing refined versions of CAPTURE-IBD tailored to different clinical settings.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory colon disease characterized by relapsing flares and remission episodes. However, the optimal steroid tapering strategy in patients hospitalized for acute severe UC (ASUC) remains relatively unknown. We aim to examine the clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for ASUC regarding variable prednisone taper regimens upon discharge.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients admitted to our facility with ASUC between 2000 and 2022. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the duration of steroid taper on discharge (< 6 and > 6 weeks). Patients who had colectomy at index admission were excluded from the analysis. The primary outcome was rehospitalization for ASUC within 6 months of index admission. Secondary outcomes included the need for colectomy, worsening endoscopic disease extent and/or severity during the follow-up period (6 months), and a composite outcome as a surrogate of worsening disease (defined as a combination of all products above). Two-sample t-tests and Pearson's chi-square tests were used to compare the means of continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors for rehospitalization with ASUC.

Results: A total of 215 patients (short steroid taper = 91 and long steroid taper = 124) were analyzed. A higher number of patients in the long steroid taper group had a longer disease duration since diagnosis and moderate-severe endoscopic disease activity (63.8 vs. 25.6 months, p < 0.0001, 46.8% vs. 23.1%, P = ≤ .05, respectively). Both groups had similar disease extent, prior biologic therapy, and the need for inpatient rescue therapy. At the 6-month follow-up, rates of rehospitalization with a flare of UC were comparable between the 2 groups (68.3% vs. 68.5%, P = .723). On univariate and multivariate logistic regression, escalation of steroid dose within four weeks of discharge (aOR 6.09, 95% CI: 1.82-20.3, P  = .003) was noted to be the only independent predictor for rehospitalization with ASUC.

Conclusions: This is the first study comparing clinical outcomes between post-discharge steroid tapering regimens in hospitalized patients for ASUC. Both examined steroid taper regimens upon discharge showed comparable clinical results. Hence, we suggest a short steroid taper as a standard post-hospitalization strategy in patients following ASUC encounters. It is likely to enhance patient tolerability and reduce steroid-related adverse effects without adversely affecting outcomes.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with significant psychosocial, economic, and physical burden on patients. IBD care in the United States results in significant healthcare expenditure with recurring emergency department (ED) care and hospital admissions. Despite advances in therapy and improved access to specialty care, there is still room for improvement in cost-efficient care. Specialty medical homes and interdisciplinary care models have emerged as ways to improve medical care, patient outcomes, and quality of life, as well as improve the impact of healthcare costs. There is limited real-world data on cost in the United States, with many articles citing cost estimates from models.

Methods: We analyzed real-world data from our tertiary care center with a focus on recurrent ED visits by IBD patients. Descriptive statistics were used for a cost analysis of multiple ED visits by IBD patients. Patients with ≥4 visits to the ED in a 6-month period were described as SuperUsers and were included in a separate analysis. The cost of hospitalization was also included.

Results: Total cost associated with all ED visits from SuperUsers were $72 999.57 with an average of $6636.32 per patient. When the patients were admitted, the total cost of ED visits and hospitalizations was $721 461.52, with an average of $65 587.41 per patient.

Conclusions: ED utilization by IBD patients with or without hospitalization is expensive and is typically driven by a cohort of SuperUsers. More work needs to be done to improve cost-effectiveness in IBD care, including reducing the frequency of ED visits.