Diagnosis Of Crohn's Disease Research Articles

HOSPITAL READMISSION AND MORTALITY RATES IN PATIENTS WITH CONCURRENT DEPRESSION AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: INSIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL READMISSIONS DATABASE, 2016–2019

Abstract BACKGROUND Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a proinflammatory condition that is known to be associated with depression. Research examining causality suggests that Crohn's disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) patients are vulnerable to triggering pre-existing mental health conditions and that conversely, a pre-existing disorder such as depression may have an effect on the disease process and course of IBD. There is a paucity of comprehensive studies examining the downstream effects of depression on patients with IBD such as readmission rates and mortality. The complexity of the interaction between depression and IBD remains a fertile ground for further investigations in terms of pathological reciprocity and downstream consequences. METHODS In this retrospective observational study, patients were queried from the National Readmissions Database from 2016 to 2019. ICD-10 codes were used to identify patients with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and depression. Primary outcomes were mortality and readmission rates at 30 days and 90 days. Secondary outcomes were index admission mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and total hospitalization charges (TOTHC) at 30 and 90 days respectively. The top 10 readmission diagnoses in each subgroup were also identified. RESULTS For patients with CD and depression, the mean age at readmission was 51.6 years with a high readmission and mortality rate at 30 days (readmission rate 5.2%, p<0.01; mortality rate 2.8%, p<0.01) which increased significantly at 90 days (readmission rate 8.4%, p<0.01). Hospital LOS and TOTHC remained relatively the same compared to the index admission for both 30-day and 90-day readmissions (Table 1,2). A similar trend was seen for UC and depression as well: mean age at readmission was 51.4 years with a high readmission rate and mortality at 30 days (readmission rate 5.0%, p<0.01; mortality rate 2.6%, p<0.01) which increased significantly at 90 days (readmission rate 8.4%, p<0.01; mortality rate 2.9%, p<0.01). Sepsis, hypertensive heart disease accompanied by heart failure and/or chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, hypoxia, and acute depressive episodes were the top primary associated readmission etiologies at 30 days and 90 days when correlated with a diagnosis of UC or CD. (Table 1, 2). CONCLUSION Our investigation revealed that patients affected by both depression and either UC or Crohn’s disease exhibited elevated readmission rates and a notably amplified mortality risk at 30 days post-readmission, with a more substantial increase observed at the 90-day mark. These findings underscore the significance of healthcare providers routinely screening for depression, addressing the management of mental health, and acknowledging the considerable impact it has on patients with co-occurring chronic diseases like UC or CD as an integral facet of comprehensive care. Table 1 Table 2

THE BURDEN OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE ON COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS: A NATIONWIDE ANALYSIS

Abstract BACKGROUND Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic systemic inflammatory process with primarily gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations, and is comprised of Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented global health crisis that had a profound impact on healthcare burden. Both IBD and COVID-19 are associated with a pro-inflammatory state, however, the relationship between the two disease states remains unclear. Some studies suggest that IBD patients may develop more severe COVID-19 infection. We aim to assess whether patients with a history of IBD have worse outcomes when hospitalized with COVID-19. METHODS Patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were identified using the 2020 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). Patients were stratified based on the presence of IBD. Data were collected regarding incidence of shock, sepsis, acute kidney injury (AKI), blood transfusion, mechanical ventilation, and death. Other variables included age, gender, race, primary insurance, median income, hospital region, hospital bed size, and comorbidities. The relationship between outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and IBD was analyzed using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1,526,805 patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were included in the study. Of these, 91,608 (6.0%) had a concurrent diagnosis of either CD or UC. The majority of patients in the IBD group were female (52.2%), White (73.4%), and had Medicare insurance (54.6%). History of IBD was associated with an increased risk of sepsis (aOR 1.15, P = 0.01), shock (aOR 1.26, P = 0.007), and AKI (aOR 1.25, P < 0.001). There was no difference in mechanical ventilation or in-hospital mortality between patients with IBD and those without. CONCLUSION Among patients hospitalized with COVID-19 infection, those with a history of IBD had an increased risk of sepsis, shock, and AKI. However, IBD did not confer an increased risk of mechanical ventilation or in-hospital mortality. IBD patients who develop COVID-19 infection should be evaluated diligently as their disease state may predispose them to shock and organ injury. Further studies are needed to elucidate why these patients do not have an increased rate of ventilator-dependent respiratory failure or death. Inclusion process for the study.

HAND GRIP STRENGTH IS ASSOCIATED WITH CLINICAL SYMPTOM BURDEN IN CROHN'S DISEASE

Abstract INTRODUCTION Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that may result in malnutrition and alteration of body composition, such as the development of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is a known component of frailty, which is a driver of poor health outcomes and a significant independent predictor of mortality in patients with IBD. The purpose of this study was to determine whether grip strength, as a predictor of sarcopenia and frailty, is associated with clinical symptoms, endoscopic disease activity and disease-related disability in patients with IBD. METHODS This is a prospective cohort study performed at a single tertiary care center. Outpatient adults aged 18 to 89-years-old with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD), were consented and enrolled at the time of an outpatient colonoscopy. Study participants were asked to complete two paper surveys addressing clinical symptoms and IBD Disability Index. Grip strength measurements were obtained using a Jamar dynamometer and adjusted for age and sex by Z-score calculation. RESULTS There was a total of 74 patients, with a mean age of 47.06 years, 51.4% male and 48.6% female with a diagnosis of either UC (38%) or CD (62%). The mean disease duration was 15.7 years (0.5-50.7). Mean hand grip Z-score amongst all patients was lower in patients not in clinical remission compared to those in clinical remission (–0.160 vs 0.480, p = 0.025), though in subgroup analysis based on diagnosis, statical significance only maintained in the CD, but not the UC group (-0.230 vs 0.610, p=0.044; 0.020 vs 0.340, p=0.544 respectively). Mean hand grip Z-score was not associated with IBD Disability Index (–0.070 vs 0.250, p= 0.669) or endoscopic disease activity (UC 0.210 vs 0.070, p=0.513; CD –0.108 vs 0.274, p=0.638). CONCLUSION Low hand grip strength is associated with clinical disease activity in patients with CD but not UC. Our study does not suggest hand grip strength to be associated with IBD-related disability or endoscopic disease activity in either patients with UC or CD. Data on clinical outcomes at 6-months will be collected. DISCUSSION From the findings in our study, hand grip measurements alone may not be the best predictor of disease activity or related disability. There is a lack of validated diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia and frailty in the IBD population and additional diagnostic modalities may be required. While our study suggests that hand grip may be correlated with clinical disease activity in patients with CD, additional studies with a large population size and wider representation of disease severity, such as including hospitalized IBD populations, are needed to further validate these findings.

P1073 Opioid use Before and After First Diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease: A Swedish Nationwide Cohort Study 2008-2020

Abstract Background The ongoing opioid misuse epidemic, initially sparked by over-prescription, presents challenges in managing severe pain in Crohn’s disease (CD). Despite associated negative effects, such as narcotic bowel syndrome and susceptibility to chronic use, opioids are frequently prescribed for CD patients. However, data on the evolution of opioid use before and after the initial CD diagnosis in a European context are limited. Methods This nationwide cohort study utilized the Swedish Patient Register to identify adults with a first CD diagnosis between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2017, residing in Sweden at least two years before and three years after the diagnosis. For each CD patient, we included up to 10 reference individuals from the general population matched on birth year, sex, calendar year, and place of residence. Data on dispensed opioid prescriptions were retrieved from the National Prescribed Drug Register. Opioid use history was categorized into non-users (no dispensations), intermittent users (≥1 dispensation in 1–3 periods), and chronic users (≥1 dispensation in all periods) based on the four preceding six-month periods before the first CD diagnosis. Opioid use per six-month period was estimated from two years before to five years following CD diagnosis (corresponding index date for matched reference individuals) and coarsened exact matching was employed to account for confounding (birth year, sex, education, and history of psychiatric disorders and cancer). Results We included 12,539 incident CD patients and 116,073 matched reference individuals. During the two years before the first CD diagnosis, CD patients (and 3.9% vs 10.4% and 1.4%, respectively) were more often intermittent (22.3% vs 10.4%) or chronic (3.9% vs 1.4%) opioid users than matched reference individuals. Prior to diagnosis, opioid use per six-month period was twice as common among CD patients than in reference individuals. Following a peak in the first year after the diagnosis, the prevalence of dispensed opioids per six-month period stabilized at a three-fold level among CD patients (13.6%; 95% CI: 13.0, 14.3) compared with the reference individuals (5.5%; 95% CI: 5.4, 5.7) (Figure 1). The 6-month prevalence of opioid use five years after CD diagnosis was 7.6% (95% CI: 7.0, 8.2), 22.9% (95% CI: 21.1, 24.6), and 79.5.4% (95% CI: 73.2, 85.7) for CD patients classified as non-users, intermittent, or chronic users two years before diagnosis, respectively. Conclusion CD patients exhibited elevated opioid use two years before their initial diagnosis, which persisted at a three-fold level compared to matched reference individuals for five years post-diagnosis. This pattern persisted despite publicly-funded healthcare and modern CD therapy accessibility.

P1189 Clinical features and surgical necessity rate of fistulising perianal disease in newly diagnosed patients with Crohn's disease: Interim analysis of inception cohort registry study of patients with Crohn's disease (iCREST-CD)

Abstract Background Fistulising perianal diseases (FPD) are common in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) in Asia, but the treatment pattern and the proportion of patients who develop new FPD after diagnosis are not clear. An interim analysis of a large registry study was performed to evaluate the difference in prognosis between patients with and without FPD at diagnosis of CD and the incidence and timing of onset of FPD in patients without FPD at diagnosis of CD. Methods iCREST-CD is a prospective, non-interventional, longitudinal, observational registry study conducted at 19 tertiary centres in Japan. Patients newly diagnosed with CD from June 2016 to June 2020 based on the diagnostic criteria of the Japanese Guidelines, aged ≥16 years at the time of informed consent with no prior exposure to biologics were enrolled. Patient demographics, clinical data, disease activity and medical treatment record up to June 2022 were used. FPD were defined as a perianal abscess and/ or perianal fistula. Results Of the 662 patients with newly diagnosed CD for whom with or without FPD were recorded, 236 patients [35.6%] had FPD at diagnosis (Group A). Of the 426 patients who did not have FPD at the time of diagnosis, 32 patients developed FPD during the observation period (Group B), and 394 patients did not develop it (Group C). The mean age [SD] at the time of CD diagnosis in Groups A, B, and C was 25.0 [8.6], 31.6 [15.5], and 31.7 [14.4] years, respectively. The proportion of female was 21.2%, 34.4% and 37.8%, respectively; L2 disease location was 14.6%, 23.3%, and 18.0%, respectively; and B2+B3 disease behaviour was 27.5%, 53.1%, and 40.6%, respectively. The mean CRP (mg/L [SD]) was 28.5 [33.8], 42.4 [43.6], and 27.1 [36.3], respectively. For disease activity based on HBI score, the proportion with moderate (8≦HBI≦16) and severe (16<HBI) activity was 17.6%, 36.8%, and 24.0%, respectively (Table). The rate of patients who developed FPD was 4.5% (19 patients) by 12 months and 6.5% (28 patients) by 24 months, respectively (Figure). In Group A with a mean observation period (month [SD]) of 27.9 [8.8], 12.3% and 17.3% of patients needed perianal surgery at 12 and 24 months, respectively. In Group B with a mean observation period of 29.7 [7.7], 7 FPD patients [21.9%] subsequently underwent perianal surgery, all within 12 months of FPD onset. Conclusion Patients who did not have a perianal abscess or fistula at the time of their CD diagnosis but later developed these problems tended to have numerically higher CD activity at the time of diagnosis and were more likely to require perianal surgery. These results suggest that patients with highly active CD are at risk of developing new FPD and should be carefully monitored.

P1180 Smoking behaviour and changes after diagnosis in patients with Crohn's disease in a tertiary referral hospital: A retrospective explorative study

Abstract Background Smoking is the best-known environmental risk factor for poor outcome of Crohn’s disease (CD). Since smoking cessation improves the prognosis of CD, patients are encouraged to quit smoking. This study aimed to assess the smoking behaviour among CD patients and explore changes after diagnosis of CD. Methods This is a retrospective single tertiary center cohort study of 1267 patients with CD with a median follow-up of 16.8 years (IQR - 18.3) whose characteristics are recorded via a validated data software (IBDIS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Information System). Smoking behaviour was categorized into never smokers, current smokers, and ex-smokers (those who quit smoking at any point). The primary objective was smoking cessation during follow-up. The probability of smoking was calculated for those CD patients who smoked at the time of diagnosis of CD by means of Kaplan-Meier estimates. Statistical analyses were conducted using R software, employing log-rank tests for estimating differences with a significance level of alpha = 0.05. Results In total 1,128 CD patients with a complete data set were analysed (Table 1). 161 (14.2%) patients started and stopped smoking prior to diagnosis of CD. At the time of diagnosis, 541 patients (47.9%) were smokers, and 239 (44.2%) of them quit smoking during follow up. The median time from CD diagnosis to cessation for the 239 patients who were smokers at the time of diagnosis and subsequently quit was 8.6 years (IQR - 10.6 years). 80 patients (7%) started smoking after diagnosis, with 50 of these patients quitting thereafter. The probability of smoking in those CD patients who smoked at the time of diagnosis decreased over time to 0.96 (95% CI 0.95-0.98) at 1yr, 0.85 (95% CI 0.83-0.89) at 5 yrs, 0.71 (95% CI 0.67-0.76) at 10 yrs, and 0.52 (95% CI 0.47-0.57) at 20 yrs after diagnosis for the entire cohort with no significant difference between genders (p=0.76) (Figure 1a). Patients who were diagnosed 2010 and later (n=182) were more likely to stop smoking than patients diagnosed before 2010 (n=359) (p<0.001) (Figure 1b). However, the probability to smoke 10 years after the diagnosis was still high in both groups (0.62 (95% CI 0.52-0.74) and 0.75 (95% CI 0.71-0.79), respectively). Conclusion A substantial proportion of CD patients smoked at the time of diagnosis. 20 years after diagnosis around half of the patients still continued to smoke. Improved smoking cessation programs are needed to reduce the impact of smoking on the course of the disease.

P300 An Expert Delphi Consensus: Early Identification of Patients at Risk of Crohn's Disease in Perianal Fistulas and Abscesses (PREFAB) and Identification and Management of Isolated Perianal Crohn's Disease (ipCD) - Part A, PREFAB

Abstract Background In ± 10% of all Crohn’s disease (CD) patients a perianal abscess (PAA) or fistula (PAF) is the manifesting symptom. The delay in diagnosis of CD, from fistula or abscess onset, is very long and associated with worse outcomes. The aim of this Delphi study was to reach consensus on a clinical decision tool to help select patients with raised suspicion of CD in PAA/PAF patients, to identify underlying CD earlier and reduce the diagnostic delay. Methods A panel of international experts in the field of proctology and/or Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), consisting of surgeons, gastroenterologists and radiologists were invited to participate in the PREFAB part of this Delphi study. The first round was an electronic survey and the second round a virtual consensus meeting. In the first round, participants were asked to anonymously provide their opinion probing 1) the relevance and use of clinical characteristics (“Red Flags”) suggestive of underlying CD, 2) the use of faecal calprotectin (FCP) as an adjunct for screening for CD and 3) on the diagnostic work-up for IBD in PAA/PAF patients with raised clinical suspicion. In the second round, statements were paired/revised based on the feedback from the first round and presented in a final set of statements. Consensus was predefined as ≥70% agreement. Results A total of 30 experts participated in the first round and 25 in the second round (83.3%). Final consensus was reached for 29% of all statements in the first Delphi round and, after adjustments/merging, for all 11 statements (100%) in the second round. Ninety-seven percent of participants agreed that shortening of the delay in diagnosis by using a clinical decision tool could improve outcomes in patients with perianal disease as a first symptom. Consensus was reached on the red flags to be included in the clinical decision tool, on screening of all patients with any perianal fistula (regardless of the complexity, biological behaviour and co-existent perianal symptoms) to identify CD in an early (sub)clinical phase, on referral criteria and on the diagnostic workup and follow up of patients with raised suspicion. Conclusion A clinical decision tool for early identification of CD in patients with PAA/PAF as a first symptom could shorten delay in diagnosis and improve outcomes. Global consensus for this tool, including a practical and relevant algorithm for finding or excluding CD in patients with PAA/PAF as a manifesting sign, was reached within two rounds. This clinical decision tool will be validated in 2024 in a large, prospective multicenter study.

P420 Natural history of intra-abdominal inflammatory masses (phlegmons) in Crohn’s disease

Abstract Background Intra-abdominal inflammatory masses (phlegmons) are a feature of penetrating Crohn’s disease (CD). However, there are few data on the natural history and outcomes of inflammatory masses in CD. We aimed to describe clinical outcomes and predictors of surgery in individuals with CD and intra-abdominal inflammatory masses (IAIM). Methods We conducted a multi-center retrospective cohort study. Patients with a diagnosis of CD or inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBD-U) and a finding of phlegmon, phlegmonous change or inflammatory mass on cross-sectional imaging with IV contrast (MR or CT) at two tertiary care centers were included between July 2006 and April 2023. Data collected included demographics, clinical characteristics, Montreal CD classification, treatments at the time of and after IAIM diagnosis, and size and location of the IAIM. Primary outcome was surgery defined as any CD-related resection or surgical drainage. Bivariate comparisons between patients who did or did not undergo surgery were performed. Multivariable logistic regression was performed with backward selection of variables to identify those associated with surgery. Results A total of 100 patients were included, and comparison between those who did or did not undergo surgery is given in Table 1. Most were white (80%), 44% were women, and 12% were current smokers. A majority had ileocolonic disease location (77%) and 50% were on a biologic at time of diagnosis. Mean size of IAIM was 3.4 cm and the majority (72%) were located adjacent to small bowel. Radiologic evidence of intra-abdominal fistula was seen in 40%, and 30% of patients had a stricture adjacent to the IAIM. A large proportion required hospitalization (75%) and received intravenous antibiotics (64%); 13% progressed to an abscess, and the mean (SD) time to abscess was 108 (119.4) days. The majority (65%) underwent surgery, with a mean (SD) time to surgery of 59 (97.8) days. Seven patients developed sepsis, all of whom subsequently required surgery. On multivariable analysis, patients were more likely to require surgery if there was a concomitant stricture (aOR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.01 – 11.9) and less likely to require surgery if treated with steroids (aOR = 0.15, 95% CI 0.03 – 0.61). Antibiotic use was not associated with surgery (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 0.53 – 2.81) nor was IAIM size. Conclusion In this large retrospective cohort, most intra-abdominal inflammatory masses required surgery, particularly if there was a concomitant stricture. Patients treated with steroids were less likely to require surgery though this may be confounded by severity of disease.

Intensification with Intravenous Ustekinumab in Refractory Crohn’s Disease

Background: The rates of clinical and biochemical responses in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients treated with intravenous (IV) ustekinumab (UST) intensification are scarcely described. Methods: Patients with diagnosis of CD who were under intensified IV ustekinumab treatment (130 mg every 4 weeks) were retrospectively included, evaluating the clinical and biochemical response 12 weeks after the change in treatment regimen (switch from SC to IV), as well as the serum levels of the drug. Results: Twenty-seven patients, all of whom had transitioned to intensified intravenous ustekinumab treatment due to a secondary loss of response to the drug, were included in the retrospective analysis. At the baseline visit, prior to changing IV UST, differences in levels were observed between intensified and non-intensified patients (7216 vs. 2842 ng/mL, p = 0.00005). However, no significant differences were found between these two groups 12 weeks after IV intensification (7949 vs. 7937 ng/mL; p = 0.99). In patients with previous intensified UST SC, a decrease in fecal calprotectin was observed 12 weeks after starting IV intensification, going from a mean of 1463 ug/g to 751 ug/g, although the differences were not significant (p = 0.14). Conclusion: In our experience, intensifying treatment with IV UST leads to clinical and biochemical improvements in CD patients with a secondary loss of response to SC maintenance with this drug, and an increase in drug levels was observed 12 weeks after IV UST intensification.

P402 Early diagnosis of Crohn’s disease with perianal lesions as first clinical symptom: Development and validation of a new MR imaging-based model disease

Abstract Background Early diagnosis is crucial for the treatment and prognosis of Crohn's disease. Perianal fistulae or abscesses may present as the initial manifestation of Crohn's disease (CD) in patients. Despite magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for the clinical assessment of perianal fistulae, there is shortage of MRI properties for clinical use in early perianal fistula diagnosis in CD. Methods Data from patients with a definitive diagnosis of PFCD and cryptoglandular disease (CGD) between September 2013 and December 2020 were examined retrospectively. The data was splited into training and test sets at a 7:3 ratio. The MRI characteristics were reviewed by two gastroenterology radiologists in consensus. The characteristics were then used to train a random forest classification model to predict a diagnosis of PFCD. The validity of the model was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and confusion matrix. Predictor importance was determined using the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) framework. Results A total of 144 patients diagnosed with PFCD and 406 patients diagnosed with CGD were included. Utilizing the Boruta algorithm, 12 significant features which confirmed important for the diagnosis of PFCD, and a random forest classification model was developed. The model demonstrated an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.9294 (95% CI: 0.8706-0.9882), an accuracy of 0.9515 (95% CI: 0.9067-0.9788) and a kappa of 0.8779. SHAP values was utilized to estimate the variable importance, and the top five features were ulceration in rectal wall, thickened rectal wall, T2 hyperintensity, submucosal fistula and age. The model for predicting PFCD diagnosis based on MRI was dynamically visualised using a web display approach (https://doctoryang1971.shinyapps.io/forceplot/). Conclusion We have developed a multi-modal visual dynamic prediction model that can be effectively used to guide the early diagnosis of patients with Crohn's disease who present with perianal fistula at their first clinical visit. PFCD is likely to originate as transmural ulcers leading to submucosal inflammation or fistulae before penetrating the anal sphincter and developing into complex perianal fistulae.

P151 Characterization of platelet activation profile in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract Background Platelet-related markers associated with a procoagulant state have been described for Immune-mediated Inflammatory Diseases (IMIDs), but a broader profiling of these abnormalities in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is lacking. Methods Cross-sectional study to describe and compare platelet biomarkers of IBD outpatients, both Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC), vs healthy controls (HC). Patients over 18 years old with a diagnosis of CD or UC according to the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO) criteria were included. Fecal calproctectin (Fcal) >=150ug/g was used as a cutoff level for active disease. Exclusion criteria for IBD patients are listed under Table 1. Fibrinogen (FBG) receptor on platelet’s surface was determined with anti-CD41 and anti-CD61 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs); and von Willebrand factor receptor with anti-CD42a and anti-CD42b mAbs. Platelet activation markers [TRAP and ADP-induced activation of fibrinogen (FBG) receptor, and P-selectin (Psel) and CD63 exposure] were determined, respectively, through binding of PAC1, anti-P-selectin and anti-CD63 (mAbs). All variables were determined by flow cytometry. Results 55 patients (27 CD, 28 UC) and 75 HC have been included. 43 IBD patients had active disease (21 CD, 22 UC). Complete baseline characteristics of the IBD population are described in Table 1. Basal Psel (% of positive cells) was increased in CD vs UC (median [IQR]: 5.64 [4,4-10,4] vs 2,9 [1,8-6,8], p=0,02) and vs HC (3,5 [1,4-6,8], p=0,008). ADP-induced Psel was increased in CD vs HC (mean, SD: 49.92, SD 12.75 vs 41.943, SD13.15, p=0,007). Basal CD63 (% of positive cells) was significantly higher in active IBD vs HC (W = 1143, p = 0.02) and inactive IBD vs HC (W = 528, p= 0.006). CD42a (% of positive cells) was decreased in IBD vs HC (W = 1128.00, p=0.007) and CD vs HC (W = 777.00, p =0.04). CD42b (% of positive cells) was also decreased in IBD vs HC (mean, SD: 106.9 SD, 17.32 vs 115.7, SD 28.42, p=0,01) and CD vs HC (104.06 SD 14.49, p=0,03). No differences in basal or TRAP/ADP induced PAC binding, and in CD41 or CD61 expression were observed among groups. Multiple linear regression showed association of Fcal with basal Psel in IBD patients (p=0,02); and Spearman’s correlation showed negative moderate correlation between Fcal and basal Psel (r=0,3; p=0,003) Conclusion Features of platelets in IBD suggest increased platelet degranulation and reduced vWF receptor with regards to healthy controls, specially in CD, but no differences in FBG-related receptors. Inverse moderate correlation between Fcal and Psel in IBD patients suggests depletion of intra-platelet granules at higher levels of gut inflammation.

P491 Clinical application of ICCE criteria for suspected Crohn’s disease undergoing small bowel capsule endoscopy

Abstract Background Small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is the primary diagnostic modality for exploring the small bowel (SB) in patients with suspected Crohn’s disease (CD) and inconclusive ileocolonoscopy findings, provided there are no obstructive symptoms or known bowel strictures. In 2005, the International Conference on Capsule Endoscopy (ICCE) established preselection criteria for these patients (Figure 1). SBCE is indicated if one criterion from group A is met, along with any other from the remaining groups (B/C/D). The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ICCE criteria in unselected cases of suspected small bowel CD (SBCD) explored with SBCE. Methods An observational, single-center, retrospective study was conducted, including all SBCE performed in patients with suspected CD between January 2020 and August 2023. Demographic and clinical data, inflammatory markers, SBCE findings, confirmed CD diagnosis and indication to therapy were analyzed. Results A total of 46 patients were included (67.4% females, median age 43 years, IQR 32-60). SBCE identified lesions suggestive of CD based on Mow's criteria in 23.9% of patients (n=11). These findings led to a CD diagnosis in all cases, with subsequent initiation of immunomodulators or biologic therapy. In the study population, 35 (71.4%) patients had 2 ICCE criteria (A+B/C/D). The percentage of patients with ≥2 criteria did not differ significantly between those with and without CD (90.9% vs. 71.4%, p=0.18). However, overall ungrouped ICCE criteria showed a significant correlation with confirmed CD (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.03-2.36). The creation of a model using 4 ungrouped ICCE criteria significantly improved CD prediction accuracy (area under the ROC curve 0.77, sensitivity 91%, specificity 51.4%). Patients with 4 ungrouped ICCE criteria had a higher likelihood of having confirmed CD (90 vs 48%, p=0.02). Conclusion In our patient cohort, the existing ICCE criteria seem insufficient for effectively identifying patients with a higher probability of SBCD. Our findings suggest that adopting a cut-off of 4 ungrouped ICCE criteria would increase the diagnostic accuracy of SBCE for SBCD.

P1125 Incidence and Neoplastic Risk Associated with Colonic Stricture in Pediatric-Onset Crohn's Disease: A Population-based Study

Abstract Background The identification of colonic stricture in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) often leads to surgery due to concerns about associated neoplasia. Nevertheless, information regarding the neoplastic risk associated to colonic stricture is still limited. The objective of this study was to assess both the incidence of colonic stricture in pediatric-onset CD and the associated neoplastic risk at the population-based level. Methods All patients diagnosed with CD before age 17 between 1988 and 2011, and included in a population-based registry, were followed until 2013. Colonic stricture was defined as a narrowing of the digestive lumen observed on endoscopic or radiological examination. Excluded were stricture in the ileocaecal valve, anal canal, or low rectum. Univariate risk factors for colonic stricture were explored using Cox proportional hazards models with time-dependent variables, and a multivariable Cox model analysis was performed. Results A total of 1,007 patients diagnosed with CD between 1988 and 2011 were included. Median age at diagnosis was 14.5 years [IQR: 12.0-16.1]. Throughout the follow-up period (median follow-up, 8.8 years [4.6-14.2]), patients were predominantly exposed to 5-aminosalicylates (88.1%), immunosuppressants (70.6%), and biologics (47.9%). Colonic stricture was diagnosed in 52 patients, including 11 at CD diagnosis. The cumulative incidence of colonic stricture in CD was 2.9% [1.8%-4.0%] at 5 years. The overall incidence rate of colonic stricture in CD was 5.4 cases/1000 person-years, 95% CI [4.1-7.1]. In multivariable analysis, an increased risk of colonic stricture was observed during periods of active disease (HR = 2.62, [1.40-4.89], p<0.01). Conversely, the absence of colonic involvement at diagnosis (HR = 0.18, [0.04, 0.80], p<0.05) or treatment with aminosalicylates (HR = 0.39, [0.19-0.79], p<0.05) was associated with a lower risk of colonic stricture. After a median follow-up of 6.4 [2.4-12.7] years, colonic stricture surgical resection was performed in 29 patients (55.8%). Colon adenocarcinoma was detected in one patient (1.9%) within 6 months after the diagnosis of colonic stricture. Conclusion In this population-based study of pediatric-onset Crohn's disease, 52 patients (5%) experienced colonic stricture, with a 2.9% incidence rate observed after 5 years of follow-up. Additionally, one patient (2%) presented with an associated adenocarcinoma.

P273 Defining the prognosis of children with Crohn Disease with the support of magnetic resonance enterography: a multi-center multi-reader study

Abstract Background Ileocolonoscopic assessment is the most accurate method for detecting intestinal inflammation in Crohn disease (CD), but it allows the assessment only of a limited tract of the small intestine and does not provide data on inflammation beyond the mucosa. The auxiliary use of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) can overcome these limitations and allow to predict the course of CD. Paediatric Inflammatory Crohn's MRE Index (PICMI) is a multi-point index of intestinal inflammation (mucosal and transmural) in children with CD created on the basis of MRI. The aim of the present study is to assess whether this completely non-invasive index at diagnosis could predict the course of CD in children and to test the inter-reader agreement as surrogate of index reproducibility. Methods All children diagnosed with CD in two tertiary referral centres with a 1-year minimum follow-up were enrolled in the study. MRE at diagnosis was blindly evaluated by 3 expert radiologists and PICMI was calculated for all patients. Children’s disease was stratified according to PICMI at diagnosis into remission (<10), mild (11-55), moderate (56-120) and severe (>120). Inter-observer agreement among radiologist was calculated. Data at follow-up were collected at 6-8 weeks, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years after CD diagnosis. Association between PICMI at diagnosis and CD prognosis was evaluated. Results A total of 71 children (52 males) with proven CD were enrolled in the study and PICMI was calculated for 68. PICMI at diagnosis was stratified into remission 6 (8.8%), mild 29 (42.6%), moderate 24 (35.3%), severe 9 (13.2%). Inter-observer agreement was calculated with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.65 which indicates moderate reliability between the 3 raters. PICMI score at diagnosis significantly correlated with PCDAI (Paediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index) at diagnosis (p: 0.036). Steroid-free remission at 1, 3 and 5 years was comparable between PICMI groups: remission + mild vs moderate + severe (p: 0.606). CRP and calprotectin negative steroid free remission at 1,3,5 was also comparable (p: 0.578). PICMI at diagnosis was associated with the probability of biologic introduction at 1 year: incidence rate ratio IRR: 2.17 (1.09-4.42); p=0.019, 3-year IRR: 2.12 (1.15-3.96); p=0.011, and 5 years: 2.21 (1.20-4.08); p=0.007 (figure 1). Conclusion PICMI score is a reliable and reproducible index to determine activity in children with Crohn’s disease. Children with more active disease at diagnosis according to PICMI have shown an increased need to progression to biologic treatment in order to gain a comparable rate of steroid free remission and inflammatory marker negativity if compared with children with lower PICMI scores.

P977 Combined F18-FDG-PET-MRI-imaging can predict clinical remission in small bowel Crohn’s disease

Abstract Background Diagnostics and follow-up of small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD) can be difficult. Combined PET-MRI enterography (MRE) can be used to evaluate intestinal inflammation. Lack of standardized methods and diagnostic thresholds has limited its clinical use in diagnostics and monitoring of small bowel CD. There is no previous data on the use of PET-MRI in follow-up of small bowel CD. Methods 34 patients with suspected CD in small bowel were recruited from Turku University Hospital’s outpatient clinic. A static PET-MRE was obtained with [18F]-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) tracer. CD diagnosis was confirmed with small bowel capsule endoscopy. Patients diagnosed with CD were started with appropriate treatment chosen by clinicians. Endoscopic findings including histopathology, laboratory results (Hb, CRP, serum albumin (Alb) and fecal calprotectin (FC)) and medication data were collected. Patients diagnosed with CD (N=16) went through control PET-MRE median 105 days after initial imaging. Highest SUVmax (standardized uptake value) in small intestine was measured and MRE-images with diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) were analyzed by an experienced abdominal radiologist and severity of inflammation was graded from 1-4. Hb, CRP, Alb and FC were measured from the patients at the time of imaging. Results Median SUVmax was significantly lower after three months of medical treatment (3.2 vs. 2.1) (p=0.016). FC was significantly lower at the time of control imaging (p=0.030) (median 725 ug/g vs. 141 ug/g). 10 patients had FC <250 ug/g at the time of control imaging. Using this as a cut- off for clinical response, ROC-curve showed AUC 0.73 for SUVmax and AUC 0.65 for MRE-grading. Sensitivity and specificity were highest at SUVmax 2.4 (83% and 80%). Conclusion Decreased SUVmax measured after starting CD medication seems to predict clinical remission and a cut-off level 2.4 could be used in diagnostics. Diagnostic yield was higher for SUVmax compared to MRE-grading. Here we have shown for the first time that PET-MRE can be used for disease activity monitoring in small bowel CD.

P1100 A multivariate time-dependent proportional hazard model to predict development of intestinal failure from Crohn’s Disease

Abstract Background Intestinal Failure (IF) is a rare but severe complication of Crohn’s disease (CD). Advancement in therapy has not eliminated incident IF from CD (CDIF), and risk factors for developing IF from CD are not well characterised. The Copenhagen Intestinal Failure Database contains one of the largest, comprehensively described adult CDIF cohort1 from 1973 to 2018, which can be linked with a Danish nationwide CD cohort2 to explore healthcare utilisation patterns associated with developing IF from onset of CD. Methods CDIF patients from Copenhagen Intestinal Failure Database and a nationwide CD cohort without IF were followed from CD diagnosis until IF, death, or censoring on 31/12/2018. Hospital contacts, surgeries, medication use and employment status were extracted from multiple Danish population-based registries. Unplanned hospitalisation or emergency department attendance (inpatient-contact), CD-related abdominal surgery, and stopping work for 6 months or more (in working-age CD patients, excluding full-time study and parental leave) were considered time-dependent covariates and tested for significance (p<0.05) in univariate proportional hazard models. Significant covariates were then modelled together with additional non-time-dependent clinical and demographic variables in multivariate proportional hazard models. Backward variable selection was performed to derive a final predictive model. Results 175 CDIF and 22845 CD patients from whom data was available were followed for 2283.1 and 293536.5 patient-years, respectively. Univariate time-dependent proportional hazard models showed that every instance of unplanned IBD inpatient contact, CD-related abdominal surgery, and stopping work was significantly associated with increased hazard of developing IF, with a hazard ratio of 4.91 (95% CI 3.54-6.80, p<0.001), 29.79 (95% CI 9.70-91.48, p<0.001) and 1.61 (95% CI 1.15-2.26, p=0.005). In multivariate analysis, earlier decade of IBD onset, unplanned IBD inpatient contacts, length of stay of the inpatient contact, CD-related abdominal surgery, complicated surgery, number of previous admissions and surgeries and previous median-long term unemployment increased the rate of developing IF (Table), whereas age and comorbidity level at CD onset, non-IBD inpatient contacts, type of surgery, biologics use, and current employment status were not found to be significantly associated with IF development. Conclusion This is the first study to demonstrate significantly increased risks of developing IF from CD from increased healthcare utilisation patterns.

P1156 Characteristics and outcomes of over a million Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients in seven countries: a multinational cohort study

Abstract Background Population-based studies are crucial for gaining insights into epidemiology, risk factors, and outcomes of IBD. However, studies that characterize patient cohorts typically analyze a single resource, apply diverse eligibility criteria, and extract different sets of attributes. This study aims to address this gap by employing a unified data and analysis framework developed by the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics (OHDSI) community to longitudinally describe and compare IBD patient cohorts across multiple geographic regions. Methods Using routinely collected healthcare data harmonized to the OMOP Common Data Model, we longitudinally characterized IBD patient cohorts across diverse geographic regions. Data sources included insurance claims and electronic health records from primary and tertiary settings. IBD cohorts were defined based on diagnoses and medications, and stratified into various groups (e.g. by sex and age at diagnosis). Results We characterized disease trajectory of 462,502 Crohn’s disease (CD) and 589,118 ulcerative colitis (UC) subjects, in 16 databases (DBs) from seven countries worldwide (table 1). There was a noticeable trend toward a decrease in the average age at CD diagnosis in Europe and North America (e.g., 47.5 in 2005-2010 period to 44.3 in 2020-2022 at a US DB) contrasting with more stable patterns in Southeast Asia (e.g., 33.7 to 33.9 respectively in Japan). A similar, though weaker, decrease in diagnosis age has been observed in UC subjects. Prevalence rates of pre-diagnosis symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding) were relatively stable over time, with minor differences between DBs. The proportion of females with anxiety was consistently higher across all datasets compared to males. Similarly, depression prevalence ranged between 11% to 46% in females and 0% to 33% in males. Examining surgical outcomes for CD patients, our study uncovered nuanced trends. While there hasn't been a significant decrease in colonic resection rates within one year following diagnosis between the early 2000s and 2020 in US populations, some DBs demonstrated increased resection rates over time (from 11% in 2005 to 14% in 2020 and from 5% to 11% in two different US DBs). A similar trend was observed when examining the colonic resection rate 3 years post diagnosis. Small bowel resection rates were stable along time among most DBs one- and three-years following diagnosis. Conclusion This study, leveraging OHDSI network data and tools, provides a comprehensive characterization of IBD patient cohorts from various areas. It furnishes valuable insights into disease trends, demographic variations, outcome, and pre-diagnosis symptoms in CD and UC contributing to a deeper understanding of IBD epidemiology

P1118 High Crohn’s Disease burden but disproportionally low use of biologics in Crohn’s Disease patients with Intestinal Failure: a longitudinal comparative study from 1973-2018

Abstract Background Patients with Crohn’s Disease (CD) complicated by Intestinal Failure (CDIF) are considered to be among those with the most severe form of CD. Their clinical course before IF onset has not been well characterised. We aimed to describe and compare CD-specific natural history, disease burden and treatment between CDIF patients and CD patients without IF over a 40-year period. Methods CDIF patients from Copenhagen Intestinal Failure Database (1973-2018) and a Danish nationwide CD cohort without IF (1977-2018) were followed from onset of CD until IF, death, or 31/12/2018. Hospital contacts, surgeries, prescription dispensation, employment and mortality data were extracted from multiple population-based registries. Groups were compared using logistic regression for proportions and Poisson regression for rates. Standard mortality ratio (SMR) was calculated against age, gender and year-matched Danish population references, and an adjusted mortality rate ratio between CDIF and CD patients was obtained from Cox models. Results 182 CDIF and 22845 CD patients were followed for 3035.7 and 293536.5 patient-years, respectively. At CD diagnosis, CDIF patients were younger (median age 24 years vs 35 years, p<0.0001), from earlier decades (71.5% vs 16.5% before 1991, p<0.0001), and had fewer comorbidities (6.9% vs 20.4%, p<0.0001). The 10-year cumulative incidence of IF declined from 2.7% in patients diagnosed with CD prior to 1980 to 0.2% in patients diagnosed after 2000, but the number of new CDIF patients has not declined over the decades (Table). A greater proportion CDIF patients received at least 1 course of steroids (70.8% versus 59.8%, p=0.02) and immunomodulators (59.3% vs 48.7%, p=0.03), had IBD-related hospital contacts (98.2% vs 55.2%, p<0.0001) and abdominal surgeries (94.9% vs 47.6%, p<0.0001), and stopped working for >6 months (65.8% vs 57.8% of working-age patients, p=0.05). However, in the biologics era (after 2000), CDIF patients were not treated with biologics more often (20.4% vs 21% had any biologics, p=ns). In those who were treated, CDIF patients had less cumulative time on biologics (3.9 years vs 11.2 years per 100 patient-years, p=0.001). CDIF and CD patients had a SMR of 3.7 (97.5% CI 2.79,4.72) and 1.7 (97.5% CI 1.61, 1.72), respectively. After adjusting for age, sex and co-morbidity, CDIF patients were at 3.42 times risk of dying compared to CD patients. Conclusion The incidence of CDIF has reduced in newly diagnosed CD patients, however the number of new CDIF patients has not yet declined due to increasing CD prevalence. Despite CDIF patients experiencing a significantly higher burden of CD before the onset of IF, they were not more likely to receive biologics. They also appear more refractory to biologics.

N12 The Experience of Post-traumatic Growth Process in Newly Diagnosed Chinese Patients with Crohn’s Disease: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study

Abstract Background The impact of Crohn’s disease (CD) is not purely negative, it may become an opportunity for patients to undergo positive psychological adjustments and achieve personal growth. To date there has been limited in-depth research to understand the patients’ experiences of post-traumatic growth (PTG) process following an CD diagnosis using a qualitative study with a longitudinal perspective. Methods A longitudinal qualitative design was adopted. Sixteen newly diagnosed Chinese patients with CD were recruited through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on three occasions: 3, 6 and 12 months post-diagnosis. Data were collected between November 2021 and December 2022. Data analysis of each time point was based on conventional content analysis. Afterwards, all data were combined for a comprehensive re-analysis to capture change. Results Four themes and fifteen sub-themes were formed through analysis (table 1). The process of PTG was shown in Figure 1. Within the first year post-diagnosis, patients with CD experienced considerable physical discomforts and psychological distress. Their personal development was also limited. With increased disease knowledge, and driven by a strong sense of responsibility and external support, the patients’ disease acceptance transformed from "difficult to accept" to "have to accept" to "should accept" then to "be able to accept". Living with CD, they actively engaged in monitoring disease condition, cooperating with treatment, exploring patterns of flare-ups, relieving stress and focusing on problem solving to eliminate negative emotions, and regaining hope and positively planning for future. Over time, the impact of CD on the patients’ lives became smaller, they integrated their disease as a part of themselves, and achieved personal growth. This growth was manifested by "developing closer relationships with others", "increasing personal strength", "changing in life philosophy" and "emerging new possibilities". Overall, as disease duration increased, the disease related sufferings diminished, and CD patients’ disease acceptance improved. In addition, as time goes by, the patients’ ability to self-manage disease enhanced, and their experience of personal growth increased. Conclusion The process of PTG in patients with CD within the first year of diagnosis primarily consists of four stages: "enduring hardships", "accepting illness", "living with illness", and "achieving personal growth". This growth was not linear, but rather cyclical. Nurses could provide targeted guidance to patients based on the trajectory identified in this study, helping them unearth inner resources and create conditions for PTG.

P461 Deep learning model for endoscopic differential diagnosis between intestinal lymphoma and Crohn's disease: a multicenter study

Abstract Background Primary and secondary intestinal lymphoma (IL) are a relatively rare cancer, while easily misdiagnosed due to the unclear aetiology and unspecific clinical symptoms. Moreover, the endoscopic features of IL vary depending on pathological types, making it difficult to distinguish from Crohn's disease (CD). This study aims to develop deep learning models based on endoscopic images, facilitating the differential diagnosis of IL and CD. Methods We retrospectively recruited 271 patients with IL and 232 patients with CD from 6 tertiary centres in China. With out-of-focus or poor-bowel-prepared images excluded, we used 1739 IL and 1649 CD images for internal and external validation to build deep learning models. For internal validation, we used five-fold cross-validation with 1517 IL images and 1428 CD images from 5 centres randomly assigned without any patient overlap. 222 IL and 221 CD images from the 6th centre were used for independent external validation to measure the generalization ability of models. Further, we compared the performance of models with that of clinical physicians consisting of 2 junior physicians and 2 endoscopy specialists with more than ten years of clinical experience. We evaluated models using metrics such as accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and used the kappa statistic to measure the inter-rater reliability between models and clinical physicians. Results We developed multiple convolutional neural network models, including ResNet18, ResNet34, ResNet50, VGG16, VGG19, DenseNet121, Inception v3, and Xception. The top 3 models in the internal validation were Inception v3, Xception, and DenseNet121. Inception v3 showed the best performance (accuracy: 83.1%; AUC: 0.910), while Xception performed better on average (average accuracy: 76.8%; average AUC: 0.834). In the external validation, the top 3 models were Inception v3, DenseNet121, and VGG19. Inception v3 achieved the highest accuracy of 81.9%, while DenseNet121 had the best AUC of 0.903. Compared with clinical physicians, Inception v3 performed better than junior physicians (average accuracy: 67.2%) and showed good agreement with the best endoscopy specialist (kappa: 0.604, p<0.05). Conclusion Convolutional neural network models using endoscopic images were able to differentiate PIL from CD, with better-diagnosing performance than junior physicians, good agreement with specialists, and good generation ability, which were expected to assist clinical physicians lacking experience to differentiate PIL and CD more precisely under endoscope.