P075 Early intestinal ultrasound non-response is a prediction tool of complicated disease outcome in Crohn’s disease patients treated with infliximab

Abstract

Abstract Background The ultimate goal of Crohn’s disease (CD) treatment is to modify the natural course of disease and prevent complications. We aim to assess the role of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) as predictor tool for complicated disease. Methods Prospective longitudinal study including patients with active CD starting infliximab. Clinical, laboratorial and IUS parameters were assessed at week(W) 0, 14, 30, and 54. The IBUS-SAS score was used to assess ultrasonographic disease activity and includes, among others, bowel wall thickness (BWT) measurement. IUS response was defined as reduction in 25% in BWT and IUS remission as the normalization of BWT (≤3mm), doppler sign (≤1), stratification (BWS), and inflammatory fat in the most affected segment. Ileocolonoscopy was done at W0 and 54. Endoscopic healing (EH) was defined as SES-CD <3. We defined a composite outcome(CO) for complicated disease including development of stricturing or penetrating disease, need for bowel surgery, CD-related hospitalization, or the need to switching due to loss of response to therapy. Results We included 48 patients (48% male; median age 31 years, IQR 26-44). The median follow-up time was 23.5 months(M) (IQR11-38.25). The median time until the development of the outcome was 12M, IQR 9.75-15.25. During follow-up, 37.5% developed the CO (27.1% with stricturing or penetrating disease, 12,5% needed bowel surgery, 18,8% needed hospitalization and 6% switched therapy). Baseline disease behavior (B1:21,2% vs B2/B3:73.3% p<0.001) and a higher IBUS-SAS score (70.34 vs 58.80 p=0.042) were associated with development of CO during follow-up. Patients who developed the CO had a numerically higher BWT throughout the first year of therapy (W14: 5.00mm vs 3.65mm, p=0.007; W30: 4.78mm vs 3.43mm, p=0.007); a higher IBUS-SAS score was also seen at W14, W30 and W54 (57.00 vs 40.35, p= 0.03; 54.74 vs 31.00, p=0.004 and 29.84 vs 23.39, p=0.026, respectively). On survival analysis, IUS remission at W30 (HR 0.27 95% CI (0.76-0.94), p=0.04) and IUS response at W30 (HR 0.27 95% CI (0.09-0.94), p =0.015) were protective for the development of the CO. In multivariate Cox regression, the absence of IUS response at W30 (HR 4.80, 95% CI 1.03-22.45, p=0.046), and EH at W54 (HR 5.70, 95% CI 1.33-24.45, p=0.02) were independent predictors of worse outcome. The best cut-off at W30 to predict the CO was IBUS-SAS >52 (AUC 0.74) and BWT > 4.11 mm (AUC 0.75). Conclusion Early assessment of ultrasonographic response at W30 of therapy can help to predict prognosis in CD. Our results highlight that in the absence of significant IUS response after 6 months of therapy, we should consider treatment intensification and close monitoring to prevent complications.