Baseline Histological Findings Do Not Predict the Risk of Subsequent Extension in Patients with Limited Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND

Among patients with limited ulcerative colitis (UC), 30% ultimately extend to pancolitis and are at increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes. Risk of endoscopic extension has been found to correlate with clinical features such as early age of onset.

AIMS

We sought to determine whether histologic features correlate with disease extension.

METHODS

The study population consisted of 40 patients with UC from two large academic centers diagnosed between 2006 and 2017. Eligible cases had a diagnosis of endoscopically limited UC (Montreal E1 or E2) at baseline and ≥ 2 subsequent endoscopic examinations with biopsies. Severity of inflammation was scored using both the Mount Sinai Activity Index and Nancy Histological Index.

RESULTS

Patients were divided into two cohorts: those who progressed to pancolitis (Montreal E3) were defined as "Extenders" (n = 21), whereas "Non-extenders" (n = 19) were cases without progression in the follow-up period. The median follow-up time was 58.4 months. The histologic scores in the endoscopically involved mucosa of the index biopsies were not associated with subsequent extension of disease, overall. However, among extender cohort, the index histology scores correlated with biopsy scores at extension (r = 0.455, P = 0.044) and index severity was associated with a shorter time to extension (r =  - 0.611, P = 0.003). Furthermore, female patients had a shorter time to extension (P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

Histological severity of limited UC is not an independent predictor of extension in UC. However, among patients who subsequently extend, severe inflammation at baseline correlates with shorter progression time and severe inflammation when extension occurs. Patients with limited UC but severe histologic inflammation may warrant more frequent endoscopic surveillance.

Role of bile acids in inflammatory bowel disease

Bile acids (BAs) are the end product of cholesterol catabolism. Their synthesis is regulated by the nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor, also involved in the control of their enterohepatic circulation. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are multifactorial diseases characterized by diarrhea. The pathogenesis of diarrhea in IBD is still debated. The most important factor is the inflammatory process of the intestinal wall, causing alterations of solute and water absorption/secretion, deterioration of epithelial cell integrity, disruption of the intestinal microflora homeostasis, and impairment of specific transport mechanisms within the gut (including that of BAs). In this review, we summarize the current state of the art in this area and we critically evaluate the alterations of BA metabolism in patients with CD and UC.