P349 Communicating Needs and Features of IBD Experiences (CONFIDE) Survey: Descriptive Comparison of Experiences of Bowel Urgency among Patients with Ulcerative Colitis in Canada, Europe, and the US

Abstract

Abstract Background Bowel urgency is a disruptive symptom affecting daily lives of patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC). Previous analyses from the Communicating Needs and Features of IBD Experiences (CONFIDE) survey reported bowel urgency as a common and impactful symptom of UC in the United States (US) and Europe. This study used data from the CONFIDE survey to descriptively compare the prevalence and impact of bowel urgency in patients with UC across US, Europe, and Canada. Methods Online, quantitative, cross-sectional surveys were conducted among patients with UC in the US, Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), Japan, and Canada. Criteria based on previous treatment, steroid use, and/or hospitalization defined moderate-to-severe UC. Descriptive comparisons of data from US, Europe, and Canada are presented. Results Surveys were completed by 82 Canadian, 556 European, and 200 US patients with UC. Across geographies, most patients were receiving advanced therapies at the time of survey completion (Canada:73%, Europe:54%, US: 77%; Table). Similar to the findings in Europe and US, bowel urgency was among the top three most common symptoms currently (in the last month) experienced by Canadian patients (Canada:31%, Europe:30%, US:47%; Figure 1a). Due to fear/anticipation of bowel urgency-related accidents, 60% Canadian patients reported wearing diaper/pad/other protection, at least once a month in the past 3 months, similar to European (65%) and US (69%) patients. Among Canadian patients who ever experienced bowel urgency (n=46, 56%), most (78%) reported doing so at least once a month in past 3 months with similar frequencies observed among US and European patients; proportion of patients experiencing bowel urgency at least once a week was higher among US (79%) and European (71%) patients than Canadian patients (48%) (Table). Among patients receiving advanced therapies, similar patterns were observed (Table). Most patients in all three populations reported bowel urgency and bowel urgency-related accidents among the top five most common reasons for declining participation in work/school, social events, and sports/physical exercise (Figure 1b). Conclusion These descriptive analyses suggest that although the overall prevalence and burden of bowel urgency in Canada are similar to those in the US and Europe, a numerically lower proportion of Canadian patients with moderate-to-severe UC experienced bowel urgency at least once a week in past 3 months. Despite receiving advanced therapies, patients experience bowel urgency and related diaper/protection use across geographies. These findings highlight the clinical importance of evaluating and treating bowel urgency to improve the quality of life of patients with UC across geographies.