Small Bowel Crohn's Disease Research Articles

The role of small bowel endoscopy in small bowel Crohn's disease: when and how?

Endoscopy has a crucial role in the diagnosis, management, and surveillance of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It contributes in supporting the diagnosis of IBD with the clinical history, physical examination, laboratory findings, and targeted biopsies. Furthermore, endoscopy has a significant role in assessing disease activity and distribution in treatment efficacy evaluation, post-surgical recurrence risk, and cancer surveillance in patients with long-lasting illness. Endoscopy also provides therapeutic potential for the treatment of IBD, especially with stricture dilatation and treatment of bleeding. Small bowel (SB) endoscopy (capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy) and cross-sectional radiologic imaging (computed tomography enterography and magnetic resonance enterography) have become important diagnostic options to diagnose and treat patients with SB Crohn's disease. We reviewed the present role of SB endoscopy in patients with SB Crohn's disease.

The Utility of Fecal Calprotectin in the Real-World Clinical Care of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives. To determine the relationship between fecal calprotectin (FCAL) and imaging studies and other biochemical inflammatory markers and the impact of FCAL measurements on decision-making in IBD patient management in usual clinical practice. Methods. 240 persons with IBD were enrolled. The correlation between FCAL values and other markers for disease activity such as serum albumin (alb), hemoglobin (Hg), and C-reactive protein (CRP) and diagnostic imaging or colonoscopy was examined. FCAL ≥ 250 mcg/g of stool was considered a positive result indicating active IBD. Results. 183 stool samples (76.3%) were returned. The return rate in the pediatric and adult cohorts was 91% (n = 82) and 67.3% (n = 101), respectively (P < 0.0001). Positive FCAL was associated with colonoscopy findings of active IBD (P < 0.05), low albumin (P < 0.05), anemia (P < 0.01), and elevated CRP (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference for FCAL results by outcomes on small bowel evaluation among the 21 persons with small bowel CD. Most persons (87.5%) with normal FCAL and no change in therapy remained in remission during subsequent 3 months. Conclusions. FCAL is a useful marker of disease activity and a valuable tool in managing persons with IBD in clinical practice. Clinicians have to be cautious in interpreting FCAL results in small bowel CD.

Capsule endoscopy for the diagnosis and follow-up of Crohn’s disease: a comprehensive review of current status

Capsule endoscopy (CE) has revolutionized the diagnosis and monitoring of small bowel Crohn’s disease (CD). The procedure is patient friendly and noninvasive, and compared to cross-sectional imaging, CE allows a direct and detailed evaluation of the entire small bowel mucosa with a high sensitivity for the earliest lesions of CD. Today, CE is the leading modality for visualizing the small bowel in suspected CD, and validated activity indices are available for the follow up of patients with established CD. CE of the entire gastrointestinal tract (panenteric CE) was recently introduced as a new diagnostic approach in patients examined for CD, and preliminary results are promising. There are important limitations, involving mainly capsule retention. Furthermore, a diagnostic criterion for CD has never been validated, and lesions detected by CE are not specific for CD. Hence, concern has been raised about a low specificity compared to other diagnostic modalities. Important questions about the optimal bowel preparation, selection of patients for CE and the optimal reading protocol remain to be clarified. The aim of this review is to evaluate the performance of CE for diagnosing CD and assess disease activity in known CD; to compare the diagnostic accuracy of CE to that of cross-sectional imaging; to discuss limitations; and to define the place of CE in the diagnostic algorithm in suspected or known CD.

New Imaging in Gastrointestinal Tract.

Pathologies of gastrointestinal tract are various and affect patients of different ages. Both of these conditions influence the imaging modalities of gastrointestinal tract that underwent relevant changes during recent years. Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Computed Tomography (CT) techniques, optimised for gastrointestinal imaging, are playing today an increasing role in the evaluation of gastrointestinal disorders, and several studies have shown the advantage of these techniques over tradition barium fluoroscopic examinations secondary to improvements in spatial and temporal resolution combined with improved bowel distending agents. Based on recent literature and guidelines, there is a change of paradigms regarding the diagnosis of esophagus and gastrointestinal cancer towards CT, whereas for small bowel imaging in inflammatory disease MRI with a new focus on Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) are the most important imaging modalities, because DWI can be easily implemented in standard MRI for routine use to further enhance the diagnostic accuracy in disease assessment [1–4]. CT and MRI play an important role also in functional disorders. In particular, the recent development of faster MRI pulse sequences provides rapid, real-time imaging of the gastrointestinal tract, pinpointing areas of stricture and providing valuable information on motility. This special issue is devoted to current and emerging techniques in gastrointestinal tract, focusing on some selected topics that are both interesting and challenging: neoplastic pathologies, chronic inflammatory diseases, functional pathologies, and nontraumatic emergency causing occlusion. The first section covers cross-sectional imaging of the gastrointestinal tract in neoplastic disease, including lymphoma, both through a review (“Radiological Features of Gastrointestinal Lymphoma” by G. Lo Re et al.) and through an original paper (“Staging of Primary Abdominal Lymphomas: Comparison of Whole-Body MRI with Diffusion-Weighted Imaging and 18F-FDG-PET/CT” by A. Stecco et al.) and small-bowel neoplasms (“Small-Bowel Neoplasms: Role of MRI Enteroclysis” by A. Faggian et al.). The imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma after locoregional treatments is also reviewed (“CT Appearance of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Locoregional Treatments: A Comprehensive Review” by D. Marin et al.). Cross-sectional imaging modalities are fundamental also in the management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) from the first diagnosis and throughout the entire course of the disease. In this sense, MRI, owing to the lack of ionizing radiation, represents the main technique in young patients with IBD who may require multiple studies over a lifetime. New imaging of chronic inflammatory pathologies is focused on Crohn's disease, where the imaging is essential also in scoring the activity of disease (“3D-EAUS and MRI in the Activity of Anal Fistulas in Crohn's Disease” by M. E. Alabiso et al.; “Assessment of Disease Activity in Small Bowel Crohn's Disease: Comparison between Endoscopy and Magnetic Resonance Enterography Using Mria and Modified Mria Score” by A. Scardapane et al.). Some functional pathologies are also discussed: achalasia and pelvic floor disfunction (“Imaging in the Evaluation of Endoscopic or Surgical Treatment for Achalasia” by D. Palladino et al.; “MR Imaging in Diagnosis of Pelvic Floor Descent: Supine versus Sitting Position” by F. Iacobellis et al.). Finally nontraumatic emergency causing occlusion is discussed in three different papers, with emphasis on the role of MDCT and dynamic MRI (“Intussusception in Adults: The Role of MDCT in the Identification of the Site and Cause of Obstruction” by V. Valentini et al.; “A Novel Diagnostic Aid for Detection of Intra-Abdominal Adhesions to the Anterior Abdominal Wall Using Dynamic Magnetic Resonance Imaging” by D. Randall et al.; “Adhesions to Mesh after Ventral Hernia Mesh Repair are Detected by MRI but Are Not a Cause of Long Term Chronic Abdominal Pain” by O. Langbach et al.). The contributions of this special issue could stimulate the spread of new imaging modalities in daily practice, pinpoint technical aspects, and share some strategies to optimise CT and MR protocols. Roberto Grassi Antonio Pinto Lorenzo Mannelli Daniele Marin Maria Antonietta Mazzei

Video capsule endoscopy in inflammatory bowel disease

Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has evolved to become an important tool for the non-invasive examination of the small bowel, which hitherto had been relatively inaccessible to direct visualisation. VCE has been shown to play a role in monitoring the activity of small bowel Crohn's disease and can be used to assess the response to anti-inflammatory treatment in Crohn's disease. For those patients with Crohn's disease who have undergone an intestinal resection, VCE has been assessed as a tool to detect post-operative recurrence. VCE may also aid in the reclassification of patients with a diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unclassified to Crohn's disease. The evolution of colon capsule endoscopy (CCE) has expanded the application of this technology further. The use of CCE to assess the activity of ulcerative colitis has been described. This advance in capsule technology has also fuelled interest in its potential role as a minimally invasive tool to assess the whole of GI tract opening the possibility of its use for the panenteric assessment of Crohn's disease. VCE is a safe procedure. However, the risk of a retained capsule is higher in patients with suspected or confirmed Crohn's disease compared with patients having VCE examination for other indications. A retained video capsule is rare after successful passage of a patency capsule which may be utilised to pre-screen patients undergoing VCE. This paper describes the use of VCE in the assessment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Indications and surgical options for small bowel, large bowel and perianal Crohn's disease.

Despite advancements in medical therapy of Crohn’s disease (CD), majority of patients with CD will eventually require surgical intervention, with at least a third of patients requiring multiple surgeries. It is important to understand the role and timing of surgery, with the goals of therapy to reduce the need for surgery without increasing the odds of emergency surgery and its associated morbidity, as well as to limit surgical recurrence and avoid intestinal failure. The profile of CD patients requiring surgical intervention has changed over the decades with improvements in medical therapy with immunomodulators and biological agents. The most common indication for surgery is obstruction from stricturing disease, followed by abscesses and fistulae. The risk of gastrointestinal bleeding in CD is high but the likelihood of needing surgery for bleeding is low. Most major gastrointestinal bleeding episodes resolve spontaneously, albeit the risk of re-bleeding is high. The risk of colorectal cancer associated with CD is low. While current surgical guidelines recommend a total proctocolectomy for colorectal cancer associated with CD, subtotal colectomy or segmental colectomy with endoscopic surveillance may be a reasonable option. Approximately 20%-40% of CD patients will need perianal surgery during their lifetime. This review assesses the practice parameters and guidelines in the surgical management of CD, with a focus on the indications for surgery in CD (and when not to operate), and a critical evaluation of the timing and surgical options available to improve outcomes and reduce recurrence rates.

Treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in Asia: the results of a multinational web-based survey in the 2(nd) Asian Organization of Crohn's and Colitis (AOCC) meeting in Seoul.

Background/AimsInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management guidelines have been released from Western countries, but no adequate data on the application of these guidelines in Asian countries and no surveys on the treatment of IBD in real practice exist. Since there is a growing need for a customized consensus for IBD treatment in Asian countries, Asian Organization of Crohn's and Colitis performed a multinational survey of medical doctors who treat IBD patients in Asian countries.MethodsA questionnaire was developed between August 2013 and November 2013. It was composed of 4 domains: personal information, IBD diagnosis, IBD treatment, and quality of IBD care. Upon completion of the questionnaire, a web-based survey was conducted between 17 March 2014 and 12 May 2014.ResultsIn total, 353 medical doctors treating IBD from ten Asian countries responded to the survey. This survey data suggested a difference in available medical treatments (budesonide, tacrolimus) among Asian countries. Therapeutic strategies regarding refractory IBD (acute severe ulcerative colitis [UC] refractory to intravenous steroids and refractory Crohn's disease [CD]) and active UC were coincident, however, induction therapies for mild to moderate inflammatory small bowel CD are different among Asian countries.ConclusionsThis survey demonstrated that current therapeutic approaches and clinical management of IBD vary among Asian countries. Based on these results and discussions, we hope that optimal management guidelines for Asian IBD patients will be developed.

Results of the first survey for the current status of inflammatory bowel disease management in Asian countries.

Results of the first survey for the current status of inflammatory bowel disease management in Asian countries.

Ileal and Colonic Crohn Disease Are Two Different Diseases

In many studies, variations in the NOD2 gene are associated with small bowel Crohn disease and certain HLA alleles with colonic disease.The current

Video Capsule Endoscopy of the Small Bowel for Monitoring of Crohn's Disease.

Video capsule endoscopy has revolutionized our ability to visualize the small bowel mucosa. This modality is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of suspected small bowel Crohn's disease, and it is increasingly used for the monitoring of disease activity in patients with established small bowel Crohn's. The purpose of the current article was to review the literature pertaining to the utilization of capsule endoscopy in established Crohn's disease, for monitoring of mucosal healing, postoperative recurrence, disease classification, and other indications.

Outcomes of Bowel Resection in Patients with Crohn's Disease

There is limited data regarding outcomes of bowel resection in patients with Crohn's disease. We sought to investigate complications of such patients after bowel resection. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample databases were used to examine the clinical data of Crohn's patients who underwent bowel resection during 2002 to 2012. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to investigate outcomes of such patients. We sampled a total of 443,950 patients admitted with the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Of these, 20.5 per cent had bowel resection. Among patients who had bowel resection, 51 per cent had small bowel Crohn's disease, 19.4 per cent had large bowel Crohn's disease, and 29.6 per cent had both large and small bowel Crohn's disease. Patients with large bowel disease had higher mortality risk compared with small bowel disease [1.8% vs 1%, adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 2.42, P < 0.01]. Risks of postoperative renal failure (AOR: 1.56, P < 0.01) and respiratory failure (AOR: 1.77, P < 0.01) were higher in colonic disease compared with small bowel disease but postoperative enteric fistula was significantly higher in patients with small bowel Crohn's disease (AOR: 1.90, P < 0.01). Of the patients admitted with the diagnosis of Crohn's disease, 20.5 per cent underwent bowel resection during 2002 to 2012. Although colonic disease has a higher mortality risk, small bowel disease has a higher risk of postoperative fistula.

Rarity of adenomatous polyps in ulcerative colitis and its implications for colonic carcinogenesis.

Despite ample research on the dysplasia to carcinoma risk in ulcerative colitis, there are scant data on the prevalence of adenomatous polyps in this population. The number and histology of all polyps detected at colonoscopies of ulcerative colitis patients aged > 50 during 2006 - 2012 were compared with similarly aged controls undergoing screening colonoscopy. There were 206 patients with ulcerative colitis and 624 controls included in the study (mean age 61.7 ± 8.7 vs. 60.8 ± 6.1, respectively; P = 0.15). Adenomatous polyps were detected in only 13/206 colonoscopies for ulcerative colitis compared with 162 /624 controls (6.3 % vs. 25.9 %, respectively; odds ratio [OR] 0.19, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.1 - 0.34; P < 0.0001). When also considering all prior colonoscopies performed over 7.7 ± 4.6 years of follow-up (mean 4.1 ± 2.9 colonoscopies/patient, range 1 - 15, total 832 colonoscopies), the risk of ever finding an adenoma in ulcerative colitis patients was still significantly lower compared with controls (14.1 % vs. 25.9 %, respectively; OR 0.47, 95 %CI 0.3 - 0.72; P = 0.0005). On multivariable analysis, adenomas were positively associated with advanced age (OR 1.07/year, 95 %CI 1.03 - 1.1; P < 0.0001) and with increasing body mass index (BMI; OR 1.06/kg/m(2), 95 %CI 1.01 - 1.1; P = 0.01) and negatively associated with having ulcerative colitis (OR 0.15, 95 %CI 0.09 - 0.44; P = 0.0005). Among 115 Crohn's disease patients aged > 50 years, the rate of ever-adenomas in small-bowel Crohn's disease was similar to the controls (P = 0.8) and not influenced by 5-aminosalicylic acid use, whereas patients with colonic Crohn's disease had a significantly lower rate of adenomas compared with the controls (3.9 % vs. 25.9 %; P = 0.002). Unlike patients with small-bowel Crohn's disease, patients with ulcerative colitis or with colonic Crohn's disease seldom develop sporadic adenomatous polyps. These data may provide novel clues to a possible role for colonic immune activation in restricting the adenoma to carcinoma sequence while propagating the dysplasia to carcinoma pathway.

The Use of Serial Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopies in the Monitoring and Management of Patients With Small Bowel Crohnʼs Disease

Introduction: Balloon Assisted Enteroscopy (BAE) consists of two endoscopic procedures: Double Balloon Endoscopy (DBE) and Single Balloon Endoscopy (SBE). BAE provides the ability to both visualize the small bowel mucosa and to provide therapeutic interventions. By using BAE serially, physicians are able to monitor disease progression and response to therapy, as well as treat obstructive symptoms. This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of serial BAE in the maintenance and monitoring of small bowel CD patients. Methods: A retrospective chart review was undertaken to examine all patients with small bowel CD who had more than one BAE. Data collection included patient demographics (age at BAE, duration of disease), indications for BAE (obstructive symptoms, disease activity assessment, query CD), operational outcomes (medication escalation, recommendation of surgery, further imaging, or additional BAE), stricture dilation data (anastomotic vs. native, dilation diameter, number of successful/failed dilations), and medication information (biologics, immunosuppressives, corticosteroids, 5-ASAs). Results: 37 BAEs (7 SBE, 30 DBE) were carried out on 15 patients (10 male), a mean of 2.4 procedures/patient (range: 2-5). The mean age at BAE was 42.1y with average disease duration of 15 years. 16 patients (43%) were seen for disease assessment, 16 (43%) for obstructive symptoms, and 5 (14%) for suspected CD. Outcomes included medication escalation or maintenance and recommendations towards surgical resection, further alternative imaging, or follow-up BAE. 1 (6.7%) patient underwent a surgical resection between BAEs. 10 patients (66%) underwent 19 (51%) BAEs for stricture dilations, in which 41 strictures were dilated; 26 primary and 16 anastomotic. The average diameter of dilation was 16 mm. 7 strictures (17%) were considered non-traversable by the endoscope. The complication rate was 2.7% (1 patient experienced pancreatitis). No other complications were noted. Conclusion: BAE is an effective and safe modality for maintenance and monitoring of small bowel CD. Both DBE and SBE provide the ability to visualize the small bowel with minimal risk of perforation or complication. Both procedures are effective for diagnosis of small bowel CD as well as therapeutic intervention, in particular, stricture dilation. Serial BAE allows for enhanced management and decisionmaking in the care of small bowel CD patients.Table 1: Procedural data for patients with known or query Crohn's undergoing serial balloon assisted enteroscopyTable 2: Post-procedural outcome data for patients with known or query Crohn's undergoing serial balloon assisted enteroscopy

Utility of Capsule Endoscopy in Crohnʼs Disease: How Does It Change Management and Treatment?

Introduction: Methods used to diagnose or assess Crohn's disease (CD) involve endoscopy with tissue biopsies. Capsule endoscopy (CE) is less invasive, does not require anesthesia, and allows direct visualization of small bowel mucosa with potential to detect diseased bowel not found by standard endoscopy or enterography. The aims of this study were to determine if CE is being used to guide treatment in patients with CD or suspected CD, and whether it changes management. Methods: This was a retrospective chart review of CEs performed at a single, university-based, tertiary care center from 2001-11. Patients included had CE to evaluate for the presence of CD or for small bowel involvement in those with known CD. CE results were defined as positive, low positive, or negative based on Lewis score when available or by description in the CE report. Changes in management were defined as escalation, reduction, or no change in therapy. Escalation was defined as adding or increasing the dose of a salicylate, systemic corticosteroid, immunomodulator, anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) or having surgery. Reduction was defined as stopping or reducing the dose of any aforementioned medication or starting adjunctive therapy. Results: Eight-two CE studies in 70 patients were analyzed. Established CD was determined in 31/63 patients (49%). Of 24 positive studies, 20 underwent escalation and 4 had no change (3 were already on anti-TNF therapy, and 1 patient refused escalation). Of 51 negative studies, 1 underwent escalation (due to patient request), 16 had reduction and 34 had no change. Of 7 low positive studies, 1 underwent escalation, 1 had reduction and 5 had no change. The most common medication class used in cases of escalation was anti-TNF agents (12/20 cases). The most common medication class used in reductive therapy was a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) (4/17). Conclusion: Positive CE studies almost always resulted in an escalation of therapy, usually with addition of an anti-TNF agent. Negative CE studies were helpful in guiding treatment, almost always resulting in no change or a reduction in therapy. TCAs were used to treat functional abdominal pain in some patients with a negative CE. These data show that CE plays a large role in the management of both diagnosed and suspected small bowel CD. Well-powered, prospective, randomized controlled trials would be useful in establishing the diagnostic accuracy of CE as well as its utility in monitoring CD progression.Table 1: Data from CE Reports and Management ChangesFigure 1Figure 2

Lewis Score – Prognostic Value in Patients with Isolated Small Bowel Crohn’s Disease

Small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) allows mapping of small bowel inflammation in Crohn's disease (CD). We aimed to assess the prognostic value of the severity of inflammatory lesions, quantified by the Lewis score (LS), in patients with isolated small bowel CD. A retrospective study was performed in which 53 patients with isolated small bowel CD were submitted to SBCE at the time of diagnosis. The Lewis score was calculated and patients had at least 12 months of follow-up after diagnosis. As adverse events we defined disease flare requiring systemic corticosteroid therapy, hospitalization and/or surgery during follow-up. We compared the incidence of adverse events in 2 patient subgroups, i.e. those with moderate or severe inflammatory activity (LS ≥790) and those with mild inflammatory activity (135 ≤ LS < 790). The LS was ≥790 in 22 patients (41.5%), while 58.5% presented with LS between 135 and 790. Patients with a higher LS were more frequently smokers (p = 0.01), males (p = 0017) and under immunosuppressive therapy (p = 0.004). In multivariate analysis, moderate to severe disease at SBCE was independently associated with corticosteroid therapy during follow-up, with a relative risk (RR) of 5 (p = 0.011; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-17.8), and for hospitalization, with an RR of 13.7 (p = 0 .028; 95% CI 1.3-141.9). In patients with moderate to severe inflammatory activity there were higher prevalences of corticosteroid therapy demand and hospitalization during follow-up. Thus, stratifying the degree of small bowel inflammatory activity with SBCE and LS calculation at the time of diagnosis provided relevant prognostic value in patients with isolated small bowel CD.

Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of adult Crohn's disease.

Previous studies have found a differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the blood of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) compared with healthy controls. The aim of this study was to identify circulating miRNAs expressed in CD and assess their performance as biomarkers in patients with clinically suspected or known CD. The study consisted of two parts: (a) miRNA profiling: The miRNA expression pattern was examined in six patients with CD and six controls using OpenArray miRNA profiling, and the best miRNAs were selected according to their P-value. (b) Validation cohort: In a well-characterized cohort of 102 patients with suspected or known CD, miRNAs identified by miRNA profiling or selected from previously published studies (hsa-miR-16, hsa-miR-21, hsa-miR-106a, and hsa-miR-140-3p) were measured in plasma using reverse transcription PCR. miRNA profiling: hsa-miR-369-3p, hsa-miR-376a, hsa-miR-376, hsa-miR-411#, hsa-miR-411, and mmu-miR-379 were downregulated in CD patients compared with the controls; hsa-miR-200c, hsa-miR-181-2#, and hsa-miR-125a-5p were upregulated (P<0.05). Validation cohort: Only hsa-miR-16 was significantly downregulated in patients with CD compared with patients without CD (fold change 0.83, P=0.02). Receiver operating characteristic analyses showed an area under the curve of 0.65. miRNAs could not discriminate inflammatory from stricturing CD or small bowel CD from CD involving the colon. In a clinically relevant cohort of patients, miRNAs in plasma identified in the present and previous studies were inadequate biomarkers for the diagnosis of CD.

Magnetic resonance enterography findings as predictors of clinical outcome following antitumor necrosis factor treatment in small bowel Crohn's disease.

To determine whether specific magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) findings can predict outcome following commencement of antitumor necrosis factor (aTNF) in small bowel Crohn's disease (CD) PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective study of patients with CD who commenced aTNF (infliximab or adalimumab) between 2007 and 2013. Patients who had an MRE within 6 months before commencing aTNF were included. The primary end-point was the need for CD-related surgery. The secondary end-points were time to surgery and time to treatment failure. The relationship between these end-points, clinical variables and specific MRE findings were studied. Four hundred and eighteen patients commenced aTNF for CD during the study period. Seventy-five patients had an MRE within 6 months before commencing aTNF (30 infliximab; 45 adalimumab). The median time from MRE to commencing aTNF was 43 days (IQR 19.5-87 days). Eighteen of 75 (24%) had surgery during a median follow-up of 16.7 months (IQR 9.0-30.1 months). Patients with small bowel stenosis (SBS) on MRE were at a significantly higher risk of requiring surgery: 12/18 (66.7%) versus 6/57 (10.5%) (P<0.001). Time to surgery was significantly shorter in patients with SBS on MRE (P<0.001). In a multivariate analysis, SBS (P<0.0001, hazard ratio 26.45, 95% confidence interval 5.45-128.49) and presence of penetrating complications (P=0.003, hazard ratio 36.53, 95% confidence interval 3.40-393.19) were associated independently with time to surgery. SBS and penetrating complications on MRE are associated independently with a need for early surgery and treatment failure in patients commencing aTNF.

Detection of Small Bowel Mucosal Healing and Deep Remission in Patients With Known Small Bowel Crohn's Disease Using Biomarkers, Capsule Endoscopy, and Imaging.

Mucosal healing (MH) and deep remission (DR) are associated with improved outcomes in Crohn's disease (CD). However, most of the current data pertain to colonic MH and DR, whereas the evidence regarding the prevalence and impact of small bowel (SB) MH is scarce. The aim of this study was to to evaluate the prevalence of SBMH and DR in quiescent SBCD. Patients with known SBCD in clinical remission (CDAI<150) or with mild symptoms (CDAI<220) were prospectively recruited and underwent video capsule endoscopy after verification of SB patency. Inflammation was quantified using the Lewis score (LS). SBMH was defined as LS<135, whereas a significant inflammation was defined as LS>790. Clinico-biomarker remission was defined as a combination of clinical remission and normal biomarkers. DR was defined as a combination of clinico-biomarker remission and MH. Fifty-six patients with proven SB patency were enrolled; 52 (92.9%) patients were in clinical remission and 21 (40.4%) in clinico-biomarker remission. SBMH was demonstrated in 8/52 (15.4%) of patients in clinical remission. Moderate-to-severe SB inflammation was demonstrated in 11/52 (21.1%) of patients in clinical remission and in 1/21 (4.7%) of patients in clinical and biomarker remission. Only 7/52 (13.5%) patients were in DR. SB inflammation is detected in the majority of CD patients in clinical and biomarker remission. SBMH and DR were rare and were independent of treatment modality. Our findings represent the true inflammatory burden in quiescent patients with SBCD.

Fecal Calprotectin in Ileal Crohn's Disease: Relationship with Magnetic Resonance Enterography and a Pathology Score.

Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) is an effective method of assessing small bowel Crohn's disease (CD). Fecal calprotectin (FC) correlates well with endoscopic disease activity. We aimed to evaluate the correlation between FC and disease activity according to MRE and surgical pathology in small bowel CD. One hundred twenty consecutive patients with ileal CD who underwent MRE assessment were included. Clinical data, C-reactive protein and FC, radiological and histological variables were obtained. Clinical activity was evaluated by the Harvey-Bradshaw Index and FC by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MRE activity was assessed by means of the Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity score. Chiorean's score was used to grade pathological inflammation in surgical specimens. Seventy-five patients (62.5%) were in clinical remission (Harvey-Bradshaw Index < 5) and 45 (37.5%) had active disease (Harvey-Bradshaw Index ≥ 5). The Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity score was significantly associated with FC levels (P < 0.01), with a moderate overall correlation (Spearman's r = 0.56, P < 0.001). FC reflected MRE inflammatory activity with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.914 (confidence interval, 0.849-0.958; P < 0.001). A cutoff value of 166.50 μg/g had 90% sensitivity, 74% specificity, 89% positive predictive value, and 76% negative predictive value for diagnosis of inflammation. Twenty-eight of 120 patients were operated. Surgical pathology showed a good agreement with FC for moderate (P = 0.03) and severe (P = 0.01) Chiorean's index. No relationship was detected for C-reactive protein. FC correlates with the degree of MRE inflammatory activity and with surgical pathology damage in ileal CD. Thus, FC could be a surrogate marker of disease control used to select patients for MRE assessment and therapeutic adjustment.

PillCam COLON 2 in Crohn's disease: A new concept of pan-enteric mucosal healing assessment.

To evaluate mucosal healing in patients with small bowel plus colonic Crohn's disease (CD) with a single non-invasive examination, by using PillCam COLON 2 (PCC2). Patients with non-stricturing nonpenetrating small bowel plus colonic CD in sustained corticosteroid-free remission were included. At diagnosis, patients had undergone ileocolonoscopy to identify active CD lesions, such as ulcers and erosions, and small bowel capsule endoscopy to assess the Lewis Score (LS). After ≥ 1 year of follow-up, patients underwent entire gastrointestinal tract evaluation with PCC2. The primary endpoint was assessment of CD mucosal healing, defined as no active colonic CD lesions and LS < 135. Twelve patients were included (7 male; mean age: 32 years), and mean follow-up was 38 mo. The majority of patients (83.3%) received immunosuppressive therapy. Three patients (25%) achieved mucosal healing in both the small bowel and the colon, while disease activity was limited to either the small bowel or the colon in 5 patients (42%). It was possible to observe the entire gastrointestinal tract in 10 of the 12 patients (83%) who underwent PCC2. Only three patients in sustained corticosteroid-free clinical remission achieved mucosal healing in both the small bowel and the colon, highlighting the limitations of clinical assessment when stratifying disease activity, and the need for pan-enteric endoscopy to guide therapeutic modification.