Causes and Prognosis of Intestinal Failure in Crohn's Disease: An 18-year Experience From a National Centre

Development and validation of the Crohn's disease-intestinal failure-wean (CDIF-Wean) Score to predict outcomes of intestinal rehabilitation

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Enteral autonomy, a key outcome of intestinal rehabilitation in patients with intestinal failure (IF), is challenging to predict due to disease complexity and heterogeneity. The aim of this cohort study is to develop and validate a multivariate model to predict enteral autonomy in patients with IF caused by Crohn's disease (CDIF), and to derive an outcome-based severity classification for CDIF.

METHODS

The CDIF-Wean Score was constructed and internally validated in a cohort of 182 patients with CDIF from a tertiary IF unit. We performed stepwise backward selection to include relevant and significant clinical variables in a binomial regression with inverted probability of censoring weighting. The Score was externally validated in a separate cohort of 107 patients with CDIF from an independent tertiary IF unit. A severity classification, based on the CDIF-Wean Score, was evaluated with cumulative incidence curves for enteral autonomy and death during home parenteral support (HPS).

RESULTS

In the CDIF-Wean Score, age, HPS duration, chronicity of Crohn's disease, intestinal anatomy, and eligibility and type of reconstructive surgery was predictive of enteral autonomy. The Score performed well in discrimination and calibration, with 0.84 and 0.84 area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, and 0.13 and 0.16 Brier scores in internal and external validation, respectively. The CDIF severity classification was significantly associated with both short- and long-term prognosis, where mild patients had a 7.5, 5.8 and 5.2-fold higher probability of enteral autonomy than severe patients at 1, 5 and 10 years (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The CDIF-Wean Score is the first validated prediction model for IF outcomes, and demonstrates accuracy, robustness and generalisability in the prognostication of CDIF patients.

The Natural History of Crohn's Disease Leading to Intestinal Failure: A Longitudinal Cohort Study from 1973 to 2018

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The natural history of Crohn's disease leading to intestinal failure is not well characterised. This study aims to describe the clinical course of Crohn's disease preceding intestinal failure and to compare disease course and burden between Crohn's disease patients with and without intestinal failure.

METHODS

Patients with Crohn's disease complicated by intestinal failure from Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen [n = 182] and a nationwide Danish Crohn's disease cohort without intestinal failure [n = 22,845] were included. Using nationwide registries in Denmark, disease course was determined from hospitalisations, surgeries, and outpatient medications, and disease burden was determined from employment and mortality data.

RESULTS

The 10-year cumulative incidence of intestinal failure following Crohn's disease diagnosis declined from 2.7% prior to 1980 to 0.2% after 2000. Compared with Crohn's disease patients without intestinal failure, those with intestinal failure experienced significantly longer duration of severe disease [50 vs 19 years per 100 patient-years, p < 0.01], secondary to greater corticosteroid use [71% vs 60%, p = 0.02], inpatient contacts [98% vs 55%, p < 0.01], and abdominal surgeries [99% vs 48%, p < 0.01]. However, exposure to biologics was not different between the two groups [20.4% vs 21%, p = 0.95], and duration on biologics was shorter in Crohn's disease patients with intestinal failure [2068 vs 4126 days per 100 patient-years, p = 0.02]. Standard mortality ratio in Crohn's disease patients with intestinal failure was 3.66 (97.5% confidence interval [CI] 2.79, 4.72].

CONCLUSION

Patients with Crohn's disease complicated by intestinal failure experienced a more persistently severe preceding course of Crohn's disease but were not more likely to be treated with biological therapy.

Improved Outcomes Associated With Teduglutide Use in Patients With Both Short Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease

Introduction

Crohn's disease (CD) with short bowel syndrome (SBS) can present as chronic intestinal failure (CIF) often requiring nutritional support. Teduglutide is a treatment option for these patients. We investigated clinical outcomes of CD-CIF patients with SBS treated with teduglutide.

Methods

Adults with CD-CIF and SBS who received teduglutide were identified at a tertiary care academic center between 2012 and 2023. Data was collected retrospectively. Primary outcome measured was reduction in parenteral support (PS) by ≥20% volume, with PS defined as utilization of parenteral nutrition (PN) or intravenous fluids (IVF). Several secondary outcomes included immunosuppressive medication changes, subjective symptom improvement, and stool output.

Results

We identified 32 patients with CD-CIF and SBS receiving teduglutide. Comparing clinical outcomes before and after teduglutide, 26 of 32 patients achieved the primary outcome of ≥20% PS reduction. A decrease was seen in patients requiring PN + IVF, with corresponding increases in patients requiring PN only and IVF only. Among all 3 groups, a total of 23 patients received PN prior to teduglutide, which decreased to 14 following teduglutide. Weekly PN volume reduced from 7.00 to 3.55 L and weekly frequency decreased from 7.00 to 3.00 instances (P < .01). Reductions in weekly volume and frequency were observed among all patients receiving IVF support (25 vs 15). Secondary outcomes showed improvement in patient reported subjective symptoms (84.4%), stool output (90.6%), patients meeting criteria for diarrhea/high ostomy output (27 vs 14), and use of unique antidiarrheal medications (3.0 vs 2.0).

Conclusions

This retrospective case series demonstrated improved clinical outcomes in patients with CD-CIF and SBS treated with teduglutide resulting in decreased PS requirements, antidiarrheal medications requirement, and stool output without significant effects on immunosuppressive therapy.

Disease Recurrence and Long-term Outcomes Following the Development of Intestinal Failure in Crohn's Disease: Over 20 Years of Experience from a National Reference Centre

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Intestinal failure [IF] is a recognised complication of Crohn's disease [CD]. The aim of this study was to identify factors predicting the development and recurrence of CD in patients with IF [CD-IF], and their long-term outcomes.

METHODS

This was a cohort study of adults with CD-IF admitted to a national UK IF reference centre between 2000 and 2021. Patients were followed from discharge with home parenteral nutrition [HPN] until death or February 28, 2021.

RESULTS

In all, 124 patients were included; 47 [37.9%] changed disease location and 55 [44.4%] changed disease behaviour between CD and CD-IF diagnosis, with increased upper gastrointestinal involvement [4.0% vs 22.6% patients], p <0.001. Following IF diagnosis, 29/124 [23.4%] patients commenced CD prophylactic medical therapy; 18 [62.1%] had a history of stricturing or penetrating small bowel disease; and nine [31.0%] had ileocolonic phenotype brought back into continuity. The cumulative incidence of disease recurrence was 2.4% at 1 year, 16.3% at 5 years and 27.2% at 10 years; colon-in-continuity and prophylactic treatment were associated with an increased likelihood of disease recurrence. Catheter-related bloodstream infection [CRBSI] rate was 0.32 episodes/1000 catheter days, with no association between medical therapy and CRBSI rate.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest series reporting disease behaviour and long-term outcomes in CD-IF and the first describing prophylactic therapy use. The incidence of disease recurrence was low. Immunosuppressive therapy appears to be safe in HPN-dependent patients with no increased risk of CRBSI. The management of CD-IF needs to be tailored to the patient's surgical disease history alongside disease phenotype.

Clinical challenges of short bowel syndrome and the path forward for organoid-based regenerative medicine

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare condition, the main symptom of which is malabsorption following extensive resection of the small intestine. Treatment for SBS is mainly supportive, consisting of supplementation, prevention and treatment of complications, and promotion of intestinal adaptation. While development of parenteral nutrition and drugs promoting intestinal adaptation has improved clinical outcomes, the prognosis of patients with SBS remains poor. Intestinal transplantation is the only curative therapy but its outcome is unsatisfactory. In the absence of definitive therapy, novel treatment is urgently needed. With the advent of intestinal organoids, research on the intestine has developed remarkably in recent years. Concepts such as the "tissue-engineered small intestine" and "small intestinalized colon," which create a functional small intestine by combining organoids with other technologies, are potentially novel regenerative therapeutic approaches for SBS. Although they are still under development and there are substantial issues to be resolved, the problems that have prevented establishment of the complex function and structure of the small intestine are gradually being overcome. This review discusses the current treatments for SBS, the fundamentals of the intestine and organoids, the current status of these new technologies, and future perspectives.

Surgical Planning in Penetrating Abdominal Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is increasing globally, and the disease location and behavior are changing toward more colonic as well as inflammatory behavior. Surgery was previously mainly performed due to ileal/ileocaecal location and stricturing behavior, why many anticipate the surgical load to decrease. There are, however, the same time data showing an increasing complexity among patients at the time of surgery with an increasing number of patients with the abdominal perforating disease, induced by the disease itself, at the time of surgery and thus a more complex surgery as well as the post-operative outcome. The other major cause of abdominal penetrating CD is secondary to surgical complications, e.g., anastomotic dehiscence or inadvertent enterotomies. To improve the care for patients with penetrating abdominal CD in general, and in the peri-operative phase in particular, the use of multidisciplinary team discussions is essential. In this study, we will try to give an overview of penetrating abdominal CD today and how this situation may be handled. Proper surgical planning will decrease the risk of surgically induced penetrating disease and improve the outcome when penetrating disease is already established. It is important to evaluate patients prior to surgery and optimize them with enteral nutrition (or parenteral if enteral nutrition is ineffective) and treat abdominal sepsis with drainage and antibiotics.

Chronic intestinal failure and short bowel syndrome in Crohn’s disease

Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) is a rare but feared complication of Crohn’s disease. Depending on the remaining length of the small intestine, the affected intestinal segment, and the residual bowel function, CIF can result in a wide spectrum of symptoms, from single micronutrient malabsorption to complete intestinal failure. Management of CIF has improved significantly in recent years. Advances in home-based parenteral nutrition, in particular, have translated into increased survival and improved quality of life. Nevertheless, 60% of patients are permanently reliant on parenteral nutrition. Encouraging results with new drugs such as teduglutide have added a new dimension to CIF therapy. The outcomes of patients with CIF could be greatly improved by more effective prevention, understanding, and treatment. In complex cases, the care of patients with CIF requires a multidisciplinary approach involving not only physicians but also dietitians and nurses to provide optimal intestinal rehabilitation, nutritional support, and an improved quality of life. Here, we summarize current literature on CIF and short bowel syndrome, encompassing epidemiology, pathophysiology, and advances in surgical and medical management, and elucidate advances in the understanding and therapy of CIF-related complications such as catheter-related bloodstream infections and intestinal failure-associated liver disease.