Predictors of bowel damage in the long-term progression of Crohn’s disease

Changes Over Time in the Lémann Index and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index in a Prospective Cohort of Patients With Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND

Crohn's disease (CD) is a progressive, destructive, and disabling disorder. Our study aimed to assess changes over time in the Lémann index (LI) and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index (IBD-DI) in a cohort of CD patients.

METHODS

This was a single-center prospective cohort study of 130 consecutive CD patients with a follow-up of at least 4 years. The LI 1 and the IBD-DI 1 questionnaires were assessed in 2016 and again between September 2020 and October 2021 (LI 2 and IBD-DI 2).

RESULTS

Of the 130 patients with assessment of both LI 1 and IBD-DI 1, 61 had calculation of the LI 2 and 98 patients answered the IBD-DI 2 questionnaire, with a median time between the 2 evaluations of 4.2 years. The LI increased for 16 (26%), decreased for 26 (43%), and remained unchanged for 19 (31%) patients. The median LI did not change over time (9.6 vs 9.3; P = .14). Clinical disease activity was significantly associated with bowel damage progression. A high initial LI (>7.9) was not associated with CD progression (surgery, drug dose escalation, or change of biologic). The IBD-DI decreased for 59 (60.2%), increased for 37 (37.8%), and remained unchanged for 2 (2%) patients. The median IBD-DI decreased significantly over time (23.2 vs 21.4; P = .006). There was no correlation between the 2 indexes.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first prospective cohort study assessing changes over time in both the LI and the IBD-DI in CD patients. After 4 years, the LI appeared to be stable and the IBD-DI decreased, with no correlation between the 2 indexes.

Personalized Treatment for Crohn's Disease: Current Approaches and Future Directions

Crohn's disease is a complex, relapsing and remitting inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with a variable disease course. While the treatment options for Crohn's disease have dramatically increased over the past two decades, predicting individual patient response to treatment remains a challenge. As a result, patients often cycle through multiple different therapies before finding an effective treatment which can lead to disease complications, increased costs, and decreased quality of life. Recently, there has been increased emphasis on personalized medicine in Crohn's disease to identify individual patients who require early advanced therapy to prevent complications of their disease. In this review, we summarize our current approach to management of Crohn's disease by identifying risk factors for severe or disabling disease and tailoring individual treatments to patient-specific goals. Lastly, we outline our knowledge gaps in implementing personalized Crohn's disease treatment and describe the future directions in precision medicine.

Small bowel imaging in inflammatory bowel disease: updates for 2023

INTRODUCTION

Cross-sectional imaging techniques including MR and CT enterography and ultrasound are integral to Crohn's disease management, accurate, responsive, and well tolerated. They assess the full thickness of the bowel wall, perienteric environment, and distant complications. As we strive toward tighter disease control, imaging's role will expand further with transmural healing becoming an increasingly important therapeutic target.

AREAS COVERED

MEDLINE and Web of Science were searched from 2012 to 2023 inclusive. We review the evidence for cross-sectional imaging in assessing disease activity, phenotyping, and therapeutic response assessment. Emerging novel imaging applications such as quantifying enteric motility and fibrosis, prognostication, and potential utility of artificial intelligence will be covered. Recent international consensus statements highlight the need for standardized imaging reporting and definitions of transmural healing and remission. We will discuss how recent advances may be best integrated into patient care and highlight key outstanding research questions.

EXPERT OPINION

Cross-sectional imaging is established in Crohn's disease management. Research emphasis should be placed on optimal integration of imaging modalities in clinical care pathways, workforce training, definitions, and evidence for use of imaging based therapeutic targets such as transmural healing, better phenotyping of stricturing disease, and developing novel techniques, including integration of artificial intelligence.