Prevalence of and factors associated with respiratory symptoms among patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a prospective study

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> No large prospective study investigated respiratory symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. <b>Aims and objectives :</b> We aimed to describe the prevalence of and factors associated with respiratory symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. <b>Methods:</b> In an observational, prospective, cross-sectional study, we evaluated the frequency of respiratory symptoms using a validated self-reporting questionnaire from February 2019 to February 2021 during a routine follow-up outpatient visit of patients with inflammatory bowel disease followed in the Gastroenterology Department of the Nancy University Hospital. In case of a positive questionnaire, patients were systematically offered a consultation with a pulmonologist in order to investigate a potential underlying respiratory disease. <b>Results:</b> Three hundred and twenty-five patients were included, and 180 patients had a positive questionnaire (144 with Crohn’s disease). 165 patients (51 %) presented with respiratory symptoms, dyspneoa being the most frequent symptom (102 patients). 102 patients (57 %) benefited from a consultation in the pulmonology department: 43 (42 %) were diagnosed with a respiratory disease, mainly asthma (n=13) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=10). Body mass index increase, being a smoker or ex-smoker and articular extra-intestinal manifestations were independently associated with a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms. <b>Conclusions:</b> Half of inflammatory bowel disease patients reported respiratory symptoms in our study and should therefore be systematically screened, as&nbsp;pulmonary disease is frequently present in this population.