P0296 Comparison of clinical characteristics of Montreal classification group A3 patients with Crohn’s disease in Korea: Results from the Prospective and Retrospective CONNECT Study

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

Abstract Background The CONNECT study, a nationwide multicenter cohort study of Crohn’s disease (CD) in Korea, was designed to investigate the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of CD patients. Starting in 2009, the study enrolled patients in both a prospective cohort (patients diagnosed since 2009) and a retrospective cohort (patients diagnosed before 2009). Recent trends show an increase in elderly-onset CD (EOCD) in Korea, alongside cases in younger individuals; however, research focusing specifically on EOCD patients remains limited. This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics and long-term outcomes of EOCD patients using data from this nationwide, multicenter cohort in Korea. Methods We analyzed data both the prospective and retrospective CONNECT cohorts, which included 2,399 CD patients diagnosed between 1982 and 2019 (retrospective cohort of 1,224 patients, prospective cohort of 1,175 patients). Of these, 244 patients were identified as having Montreal classification A3 at diagnosis. Fifty-six EOCD patients (diagnosed at age 60 or older) were compared with 188 adult-onset CD patients (diagnosed at age 40-59) in aspects of baseline characteristics, medication use, and bowel resection rates. Results EOCD patients had a higher proportion of females (55.4%) compared to the adult-onset CD group (31.5%). Ileal involvement was the most common location of disease at diagnosis in EOCD patients (51.8%). Previous use of anti-tuberculosis medication was more frequent in EOCD patients than in the adult-onset CD group (29.6% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.047). Although there were no significant differences in disease behavior at diagnosis or ever use of medication between the groups, EOCD patients showed a significantly lower risk of bowel resection (p = 0.008). Conclusion EOCD patients in Korea appear to present with distinct clinical features and have a more favorable prognosis, as evidenced by a reduced need for bowel resection compared with adult-onset CD patients. Further research is essential to better understand the unique needs of EOCD patients, including the development of tailored therapeutic guidelines that address the complexities associated with aging and the management of CD.