P771 Comparing obstructive symptoms and dietary restrictions with Crohn's disease stricture severity

Abstract

Abstract Background Stricturing Crohn’s Disease (CD) is characterized by bowel narrowing often leading to obstruction. Obstructive symptoms (OS) have been evaluated in patients with CD strictures using OS scores (STRIDENT). Clinical observations suggest that OS are generally associated with end-stage strictures requiring dietary restrictions and surgery. Evaluating the prevalence of symptoms in strictures is important as regulatory agencies require symptom response to therapies in trials. Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) accurately assesses CD strictures. IUS criteria for ileal strictures includes: 1) bowel wall thickness (BWT) > 3mm, 2) luminal narrowing, and 3) pre-stenotic dilation (PSD) > 2.5 cm. It remains unclear whether stricture severity is correlated with OS (nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain). We aim to assess if OS and dietary restrictions occur more often in those with more severe strictures (pre-stenotic dilation size). Methods In this pilot study, prospective ileal CD patients with inflammatory (non-stricture) phenotype versus definitive or probable strictures were surveyed. OS for the past 2 months were queried in patients with definitive (BWT >3mm, luminal narrowing < 1cm, PSD ≥ 2.5cm), and probable strictures (definitive with PSD < 2.5cm) as identified on IUS. OS queried included nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, and dietary restrictions. Chi-squared tests for categorical symptoms and one-way ANOVA (Kruskal Wallis) was used to compare symptom prevalence within the non-stricture or stricture category. Results 39 patients were recruited with a median diagnosis age of 23.5 years (range 24-69) with 12 non-stricture phenotype (30.8%), 13 definitive (33.3%), and 14 probable stricture (35.9%). Patients with definitive strictures (35.3%) have significantly more nausea than those without strictures (11.8%) (p = 0.01), and no difference with probable strictures. Nausea with probable strictures (41.2%) was not significantly different from non-stricture patients (11.7%) (p = 0.07). In those with definitive versus non strictures, bloating (53.6 % vs 61.5 %, p = 0.69), post prandial pain (57.6 % vs 25.0 %, p = 0.14), and vomiting (10.0% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.47) were not significantly different. No difference was found in obstructive pain (F=2.27, p=0.12) among all groups. Dietary restrictions occurred in 40% (5/12) without strictures, 43.8% (7/12) with probable strictures, and 69.2% (9/13) with definitive strictures. Conclusion Nausea was the sole indicator distinguishing definitive from probable strictures. Pain, vomiting, and bloating did not differentiate those with severe from probable strictures, possibly due to dietary restrictions. More recruitment will refine these findings and enable comparison with specific IUS parameters.