P273 Point-of-care bowel ultrasound for detecting ileocolonic inflammation in Crohn’s disease

Abstract

Abstract Background A ‘treat-to-target’ strategy with close monitoring of intestinal inflammation is recommended in Crohn’s disease (CD). Bowel ultrasound (US) is a non-invasive, point-of-care tool to assess CD activity and severity. However, no clear US-based parameters of activity have been identified by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and colonoscopy together as a reference standard. We aimed to investigate whether US parameters could be able to measure CD activity and severity, comparing with the MaRIA and the SES-CD scores. Methods Ileal and/or colonic CD consecutive patients were prospectively assessed by CS, MRE and bowel US. Bowel wall thickening (mm), bowel wall-flow at colour Doppler (BWF: 0 absent; 1 present), bowel wall pattern (BWP: 0 normal; 1 hypoechogenic; 2 hyperchogenic; 3 lost), presence of mesenteric lymph nodes (0 absent; 1 present) and mesenteric hypertrophy (0 absent; 1 present), evaluated at bowel US were compared with CS+MRE findings as a reference standard. Activity was defined by an SES-CD score>2 and/or a MaRIA score>7). Results Sixty CD patients were prospectively enrolled (37% with ileal localisation, 15% with colonic localisation and 48% with ileocolonic localisation). Thirty patients had endoscopically active CD, 34 had radiologically active disease, 37 (62%) had active disease assessed at CS or MRE (SES-CD > 2 or MaRIA score >7 in at least one segment). BWT, presence of BWF, hypoechogenic or lost BWP significantly correlated with endoscopic and radiological activity (OR 4.51, 33.75, and 2.74 respectively, all p < 0.001). The multivariable analysis identified only BWT (per 1-mm increase, OR: 6.56, 95% CI 1.25–34.44, p = 0.026) as an independent predictor for disease activity. The cut-off value of 4.4 mm BWT was identified to distinguish active vs. non-active disease (AUROC 0.905, Sensitivity 81%, Specificity 96%). A significant correlation was found between BWT and MaRIA and SES-CD score (r = 0.768, 95% CI 0.662–0.868, p < 0.0001; r = 0.602, 95% CI 0.409–0.743; p < 0.0001; respectively). Conclusion Bowel US is able to assess and measure disease activity in ileocolonic CD in real-time. BWT correlated very well with the MaRIA score and the SES-CD score. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to demonstrate the role of point-of-care US in CD management.