Celiac Disease and the Risk of Micronutrient Deficiencies in Ethnic Minority Populations: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder triggered by gluten ingestion in genetically predisposed individuals. Historically, CD was primarily recognized and described as a disease of the Caucasian population. Data from a national survey in 2015 revealed that 0.79% of the population was formally diagnosed with celiac disease, with the non-Hispanic white population having a prevalence of 4-8 times higher than other underrepresented races. Although there is evidence that CD affects minorities at higher than reported rates, there is little data on its effects on minority populations. Our study aimed to characterize celiac-related complications among underrepresented populations in a large health database. METHODS: We performed a cohort study among patients aged ≥18, utilizing the TriNetX US Collaborative Network. Two cohorts of patients (minority and non-Hispanic white) with CD were identified between 2016 and 2021. Cohorts were propensity scores matched on demographics and baseline clinical characteristics. Outcomes were assessed up to 1 year after the index event (CD diagnosis), including vitamin/mineral deficiencies and hospital visits. Data were analyzed using the TriNetX Analytics function. RESULTS: Each group was matched with 817 patients. Compared to the non-Hispanic white population, the minority group had a similar incidence of iron, vitamin B, and zinc deficiencies. The minority group had a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, anemia secondary to iron deficiency, inpatient hospital stays, and emergency department visits. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that minority patients with celiac disease have a higher incidence of vitamin D and iron deficiency.

Insights into the voltage-gated sodium channel, NaV1.8, and its role in visceral pain perception.

Pain is a major issue in healthcare throughout the world. It remains one of the major clinical issues of our time because it is a common sequela of numerous conditions, has a tremendous impact on individual quality of life, and is one of the top drivers of cost in medicine, due to its influence on healthcare expenditures and lost productivity in those affected by it. Patients and healthcare providers remain desperate to find new, safer and more effective analgesics. Growing evidence indicates that the voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 plays a critical role in transmission of pain-related signals throughout the body. For that reason, this channel appears to have strong potential to help develop novel, more selective, safer, and efficacious analgesics. However, many questions related to the physiology, function, and clinical utility of Nav1.8 remain to be answered. In this article, we discuss the latest studies evaluating the role of Nav1.8 in pain, with a particular focus on visceral pain, as well as the steps taken thus far to evaluate its potential as an analgesic target. We also review the limitations of currently available studies related to this topic, and describe the next scientific steps that have already been undertaken, or that will need to be pursued, to fully unlock the capabilities of this potential therapeutic target.

Economics of Emergency Department Visits by Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Real-World Analysis.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with significant psychosocial, economic, and physical burden on patients. IBD care in the United States results in significant healthcare expenditure with recurring emergency department (ED) care and hospital admissions. Despite advances in therapy and improved access to specialty care, there is still room for improvement in cost-efficient care. Specialty medical homes and interdisciplinary care models have emerged as ways to improve medical care, patient outcomes, and quality of life, as well as improve the impact of healthcare costs. There is limited real-world data on cost in the United States, with many articles citing cost estimates from models. Methods: We analyzed real-world data from our tertiary care center with a focus on recurrent ED visits by IBD patients. Descriptive statistics were used for a cost analysis of multiple ED visits by IBD patients. Patients with ≥4 visits to the ED in a 6-month period were described as SuperUsers and were included in a separate analysis. The cost of hospitalization was also included. Results: Total cost associated with all ED visits from SuperUsers were $72 999.57 with an average of $6636.32 per patient. When the patients were admitted, the total cost of ED visits and hospitalizations was $721 461.52, with an average of $65 587.41 per patient. Conclusions: ED utilization by IBD patients with or without hospitalization is expensive and is typically driven by a cohort of SuperUsers. More work needs to be done to improve cost-effectiveness in IBD care, including reducing the frequency of ED visits.

Race and Ethnic Representation in Crohn's Disease Trials of Biologic and Small Molecule Medications: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Randomised controlled trials historically under-represent marginalised racial and ethnic populations. As incidence and prevalence of Crohn's disease in these groups rise, it is important to characterise their inclusion in randomised controlled trials on first-line and pipe-line medications. METHODS: PubMed was searched systematically for randomised controlled trials of biologic and small molecule inhibitor [SMI] medications, with a primary outcome related to efficacy following PRISMA guidelines. We used descriptive statistics to summarise demographic variables and meta-regression analyses to estimate temporal trends in racial inclusion. RESULTS: More than a half of trials did not report any racial/ethnic demographics [53.7%] and several reported racial demographics for only one race [20.9%]. When racial data were reported, Whites made up 90.2% of participants. Percentages of Black, Asian, Native American/Pacific Islander, and participants considered 'Other' averaged 2.9%, 11.6%, 0.5%, and 1.6% out of the total sample sizes of 3901, 3742, 828 and 4027, respectively. Proportional representation of White participants decreased over time [p <0.01] and proportional representation of Asian participants increased over time [p = 0.047]. In ordinal logistic regression, mean year of trial enrolment significantly increased the number of racial groups reported [p <0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Half of published randomised controlled trials in Crohn's disease contain no racial or ethnic demographics, and the remaining often only have limited inclusion of Black, Native American/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic patients. Further work should characterise representation in observational and prospective trials. Researchers should work to: 1] increase reporting of racial and ethnic demographics; and 2] improve recruitment and retention of marginalised populations.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Iron Deficiency Anemia in Celiac Patients.

INTRODUCTION: We sought to evaluate the effect of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use on the development and severity of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in celiac disease (CD). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients older than 18 years of age at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center who were diagnosed with CD. We analyzed four cohorts of celiac patients: (1) IDA diagnosis with PPI usage, (2) no IDA diagnosis with PPI usage, (3) IDA diagnosis with no PPI usage, and (4) no IDA diagnosis with no PPI usage. We also stratified celiac patients with IDA by anemia severity. RESULTS: Of 366 celiac patients, 92 (25.1%) were diagnosed with IDA, of which 60 (65.2%) were on a PPI. The mean Hgb of celiac patients with IDA on a PPI was 11.1 g/dL and 12.1 g/dL for those without PPI (p = 0.04). For all celiac patients on a PPI without IDA, the mean was 13.3 g/dL and 13.7 g/dL for those without PPI (p = 0.02). PPI use occurred in 12 (70.6%) of the 17 patients with low severity anemia, 11 (64.7%) of the 17 patients with medium severity and 6 (85.7%) of the 7 patients with severe (p = 0.55). CONCLUSIONS: There is significant association between PPI use and IDA in celiac patients (p < 0.0001). Of those with IDA on PPIs, the distribution of the severity of anemia is not statistically different compared to those not on PPI. Discontinuation of PPIs or usage of alternative acid suppressive treatments may be indicated in patients with CD and iron deficiency anemia.

Lifestyle Factors and Silent Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Introduction: Hypoalgesic or silent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a poorly understood condition that has been associated with poor clinical outcomes. There is evidence that lifestyle factors, including diet, exercise, and substance use can influence inflammatory activity and symptoms in IBD. It is unclear, though, whether these issues impact pain experience in IBD. We performed this study to evaluate the potential relationship between several key lifestyle factors and silent IBD. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis using an IBD natural history registry based in a single tertiary care referral center. We compared demographic and clinical features in 2 patient cohorts defined using data from simultaneous pain surveys and ileocolonoscopy: (a) active IBD without pain (silent IBD) and (b) active IBD with pain. We also evaluated the relative incidence of characteristics related to diet, exercise, sexual activity, and substance abuse. Results: One hundred and eighty IBD patients had active disease and 69 (38.3%) exhibited silent IBD. Silent IBD patients exhibited incidences of disease type, location, and severity as pain-perceiving IBD patients. Silent IBD patients were more likely to be male and less likely to exhibit anxiety and/or depression or to use cannabis, analgesic medication, or corticosteroids. There were no significant differences in dietary, exercise-related, or sexual activities between silent and pain-perceiving IBD patients. Conclusions: Silent IBD was associated with reduced incidence of substance and analgesic medication use. No relationships were found between silent IBD and diet, exercise, or sexual activity, though specific elements of each require further dedicated study.

Abdominal Pain in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Evidence-Based, Multidisciplinary Review.

Abdominal pain is one of the most common and impactful symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. A great deal of research has been undertaken over the past several years to improve our understanding and to optimize management of this issue. Unfortunately, there is still significant confusion about the underlying pathophysiology of abdominal pain in these conditions and the evidence underlying treatment options in this context. There is also a relative paucity of comprehensive reviews on this topic, including those that simultaneously evaluate pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapeutic options. In this review, our multidisciplinary team examines evidence for various currently available medical, surgical, and other analgesic options to manage abdominal pain in IBD.

Lifestyle Factors Associated with Abdominal Pain in Quiescent Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle factors, including diet, exercise, substance use, and sexual activity, have been shown to influence risk of inflammation and complications in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Little is known about their potential role in abdominal pain generation in IBD. AIMS: We performed this study to evaluate for relationships between lifestyle factors and abdominal pain in quiescent IBD (QP-IBD). METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis utilizing data from our institution's IBD Natural History Registry (January 1, 2017-December 31, 2022). Endoscopic evaluation, concurrent laboratory studies and surveys were completed by participants. Demographic and clinical data were also abstracted. RESULTS: We identified 177 consecutive patients with quiescent disease (105 females:72 males; 121 with CD:56 with UC) for participation in this study, 93 (52.5%) had QP-IBD. Compared to patients with quiescent IBD without pain (QNP-IBD, patients with QP-IBD exhibited no significant differences in IBD type, location, severity or complication rate. Patients with QP-IBD were more likely to have anxiety/depression (55.9% vs. 32.1%, p = 0.002) and to use antidepressants/anxiolytics (49.5% vs. 21.4%, p < 0.001). They were also less likely to engage in exercise at least three times per week (39.8% vs. 54.8%, p = 0.05) or participate in sexual activity at least monthly (53.8% vs. 69.1%, p = 0.04). On logistic regression analysis, antidepressant and/or anxiolytic use was independently associated with QP-IBD [2.72(1.32-5.62)], while monthly sexual activity was inversely associated [0.48(0.24-0.96)]. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle factors, including the lack of sexual activity and exercise, are significantly associated with QP-IBD. Further study is warranted to clarify the relationships between these factors and the development of abdominal pain in quiescent IBD.

Abdominal pain is associated with an increased risk of future healthcare resource utilization in inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Numerous factors influence healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We previously demonstrated an association between the presence of certain IBD-related symptoms and HRU. We conducted a longitudinal study to identify the clinical variables and IBD-related symptoms predictive of HRU. METHODS: This investigation utilized clinical encounters at an IBD center within a tertiary care referral center between 10/29/2015-12/31/2019. Participants were assessed over two time points (index and follow-up office visits) separated by a minimum of 6 months. Demographics, endoscopic disease severity, totals and sub-scores of surveys assessing for IBD-related symptoms, HRU, and substance use, and IBD-related medications. HRU was defined as any IBD-related emergency room visit, hospitalization, or surgery during the 6 months prior to follow-up appointment. We identified patients exhibiting HRU (at follow-up) and computed descriptive statistics and contingency table analyses of index appointment clinical data to identify predictors of HRU. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit incorporating significant demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: 162 consecutively enrolled IBD patients (mean age 44.0 years; 99f:63 m; 115 Crohn's disease [CD], 45 ulcerative colitis [UC], 2 indeterminate colitis) were included. 121 patients (74.7%) exhibited HRU (mean age 43.6 years; 73f:48 m; 84 CD, 36 UC, 1 IC) preceding follow-up appointment. Abdominal pain (OR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.04-4.35, p = 0.04) at the index appointment was the only study variable significantly associated with HRU on bivariate analysis (Table 1). However, none of the clinical factors evaluated in this study were independently associated with HRU in our multivariable logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: In this longitudinal study, abdominal pain was the only clinical variable that demonstrated an association with future HRU (even when considering other symptoms and key variables such as disease activity, IBD-medications, and psychiatric comorbidities (i.e., anxious or depressed state). These findings reinforce the importance of regularly screening for and effectively treating abdominal pain in IBD.

The Impact of Cannabis Use on Clinical Outcomes in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-based Longitudinal Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use is common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Recent studies demonstrated that use of cannabis may relieve symptoms; however, it is still unclear how safe cannabis and its derivatives are for IBD patients. We performed this study to evaluate the impact of cannabis use on several key clinical outcomes in IBD. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study using the TriNetX Diamond Network. Cannabis use and noncannabis use subcohorts were identified for 3 patient groups: (1) IBD, (2) Crohn's disease (CD), and (3) ulcerative colitis (UC). Baseline differences between subcohorts for each group were controlled by propensity score matching. In each group, we compared relative incidence of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, corticosteroid use, opioid use, IBD-related surgery, and death between cannabis users and noncannabis users. RESULTS: Inflammatory bowel disease cannabis users demonstrated an increased risk for corticosteroid use (risk ratios [R],1.095; 95% CI, 1.021-1.174; P = .011), ED visits (RR, 2.143; 95% CI, 2.034-2.257; P < .001), hospitalizations (RR, 1.925; 95% CI, 1.783-2.079; P < .001) and opioid use (RR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.14-1.6); P < .001), but not an increased risk of IBD-related surgery or death. The CD and UC groups exhibited similar outcomes, except only CD demonstrated an increased risk for corticosteroid and opioid use. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis use in IBD patients is associated with several poor clinical outcomes, including increased risk of corticosteroid and opioid use, ED visits and hospitalization, though not IBD-related surgery or death. It is not clear what drives these risks or whether they are directly related to IBD-associated disease activity or other factors. Further prospective studies are warranted to more carefully investigate these relationships.

Comparing Patients Diagnosed With Ineffective Esophageal Motility by the Chicago Classification Version 3.0 and Version 4.0 Criteria.

Background: The Chicago Classification version 4.0 (CCv4.0) of ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) is more stringent than the Chicago Classification version 3.0 (CCv3.0) definition. We aimed to compare the clinical and manometric features of patients meeting CCv4.0 IEM criteria (group 1) versus patients meeting CCv3.0 IEM but not CCv4.0 criteria (group 2). Methods: We collected retrospective clinical, manometric, endoscopic, and radiographic data on 174 adults diagnosed with IEM from 2011 to 2019. Complete bolus clearance was defined as evidence of exit of the bolus by impedance measurement at all distal recording sites. Barium studies included barium swallow, modified barium swallow, and barium upper gastrointestinal series studies, and collected data from these reports include abnormal motility and delay in the passage of liquid barium or barium tablet. These data along with other clinical and manometric data were analyzed using comparison and correlation tests. All records were reviewed for repeated studies and the stability of the manometric diagnoses. Results: Most demographic and clinical variables were not different between the groups. A lower mean lower esophageal sphincter pressure was correlated with greater percent of ineffective swallows in group 1 (n = 128) (r = -0.2495, P = 0.0050) and not in group 2. In group 1, increased percent of failed contractions on manometry was associated with increased incomplete bolus clearance (r = 0.3689, P = 0.0001). No such association was observed in group 2. A lower median integrated relaxation pressure was correlated with greater percent of ineffective contractions in group 1 (r = -0.1825, P = 0.0407) and not group 2. Symptom of dysphagia was more prevalent (51.6% versus 69.6%, P = 0.0347) in group 2. Dysphagia was not associated with intrabolus pressure, bolus clearance, barium delay, or weak or failed contractions in either group. In the small number of subjects with repeated studies, a CCv4.0 diagnosis appeared more stable over time. Conclusions: CCv4.0 IEM was associated with worse esophageal function indicated by reduced bolus clearance. Most other features studied did not differ. Symptom presentation cannot predict if patients are likely to have IEM by CCv4.0. Dysphagia was not associated with worse motility, suggesting it may not be primarily dependent on bolus transit.

Improving outpatient care in adult inflammatory bowel disease: effect of implementation of a reminder checklist in the electronic health records (IBD-ERS)-a pilot study.

Studies have shown that patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not receive age appropriate preventive care services at the same rate as the general population. Providers extract information on preventive measures compliance by chart review, discussion with patients or deferment to primary care providers to ensure and document compliance. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of our standardised template which was incorporated in the electronic health records in order to provide the highest quality of clinical care and improve efficiency. We compared the outcomes before and after implementation of the template. In our preimplementation phase, we performed retrospective single-centre chart review of all patients diagnosed with IBD and treated with an immune modulator therapy between years January 2015-December 2016 and December 2019-July 2020. Preventive care measures included influenza and pneumonia, smoking cessation, checking thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) enzyme activity prior to starting thiopurines, screening for hepatitis B status, and tuberculosis (TB) testing prior to starting anti-TNF therapy. A total of 200 patients were included. Prior to the template implementation, manual extraction of data showed about 43% and 31% of the patients with IBD received influenza vaccination in 2015 and 2016, respectively. There were 40.9% who received pneumococcal vaccination, 57.5% with TPMT activity prior to thiopurine use, 60% had hepatitis B testing and only 12.5% had documented TB test. Post intervention, there was a significant increase in vaccination rates with 93.1% and 87.6% received influenza and pneumococcal vaccination, respectively (p<0.0005). About 94.7% had TPMT activity, 96.8% had hepatitis B and 98.9% had TB test completed (p<0.0005). The average time (minutes) to obtain information for each patient decreased from 12.27 to 4.62. Our study demonstrated a significant improvement in documented immunisation rates and quality of preventive care after implementation of standardised template.

Referral for Dietary Intervention in Celiac Disease Is Low among Gastroenterologists and Primary Care Providers.

BACKGROUND: Strict adherence to a gluten-free diet is the only known effective treatment for celiac disease currently. Multiple organizations recommend follow-up with a dietitian and guideline-directed management after diagnosis. Few studies have evaluated follow-up post diagnosis. However, these do not include a systematic process for monitoring dietary referral among celiac disease patients. We sought to evaluate and compare the frequency of early dietary referral and guideline-directed preventive care and management for celiac disease patients managed by gastroenterologists and primary care providers. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of celiac disease patients receiving care at a single tertiary care facility. Our primary outcome was to compare the frequency of dietary intervention between gastroenterologists and primary care providers in an outpatient setting after initial diagnosis. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine associated factors for referral for dietary intervention and recommended follow-up lab work. RESULTS: 261 patients were included in the study, 81.6% were followed by gastroenterologist and only 51% were seen by a dietitian. Patients following up with gastroenterologists had higher odds of referral for dietary intervention on multivariate analysis (OR 3.29, p value <0.003). Only 16% of all patients completed appropriate guideline-directed follow-up care. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary intervention and follow-up of preventive care lab work were low in celiac disease patients. There is an opportunity for further education of both primary care providers and gastroenterologists on the importance of early dietary referral and appropriate medical management at follow-up.

Long-Term Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors Disrupts Intestinal Tight Junction Barrier and Exaggerates Experimental Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Proton pump inhibitors [PPIs] are widely used to treat a number of gastro-oesophageal disorders. PPI-induced elevation in intragastric pH may alter gastrointestinal physiology. The tight junctions [TJs] residing at the apical intercellular contacts act as a paracellular barrier. TJ barrier dysfunction is an important pathogenic factor in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Recent studies suggest that PPIs may promote disease flares in IBD patients. The role of PPIs in intestinal permeability is not clear. AIM: The aim of the present study was to study the effect of PPIs on the intestinal TJ barrier function. METHODS: Human intestinal epithelial cell culture and organoid models and mouse IBD models of dextran sodium sulphate [DSS] and spontaneous enterocolitis in IL-10-/- mice were used to study the role of PPIs in intestinal permeability. RESULTS: PPIs increased TJ barrier permeability via an increase in a principal TJ regulator, myosin light chain kinase [MLCK] activity and expression, in a p38 MAPK-dependent manner. The PPI-induced increase in extracellular pH caused MLCK activation via p38 MAPK. Long-term PPI administration in mice exaggerated the increase in intestinal TJ permeability and disease severity in two independent models of DSS colitis and IL-10-/- enterocolitis. The TJ barrier disruption by PPIs was prevented in MLCK-/- mice. Human database studies revealed increased hospitalizations associated with PPI use in IBD patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that long-term use of PPIs increases intestinal TJ permeability and exaggerates experimental colitis via an increase in MLCK expression and activity.

Dedicated Psychiatry Clinic for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Has a Positive Impact on Depression Scores.

Background: Psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression, are significantly more common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We established an integrated psychiatry clinic for IBD patients at our tertiary center IBD clinic to provide patients with critical, but frequently unavailable, coordinated mental health services. We undertook this study to evaluate the impact of this service on psychiatric outcomes, quality of life, and symptom experience. Methods: We performed a longitudinal prospective study comparing patients who had been cared for at our integrated IBD-psychiatry clinic to those who had not. We abstracted demographic and clinical information as well as contemporaneous responses to validated surveys. Results: Thirty-six patients cared for in the IBD psychiatry clinic were compared to a control cohort of 35 IBD patients. There was a significant reduction in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) depression score over time in the study cohort (p = 0.001), though not in the HADS anxiety score. When compared to the control group, the study cohort showed a significant reduction in the HADS depression score. No significant differences were observed in the Harvey-Bradshaw Index, Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index, or Short IBD Questionnaire. Conclusions: This is the first study to evaluate the impact of an integrated psychiatry clinic for IBD patients. Unlike their control counterparts, individuals treated in this clinic had a significant reduction in the mean HADS depression score. Larger scale studies are necessary to verify these findings. However, this study suggests that use of an integrated psychiatry IBD clinic model can result in improvement in mental health outcomes, even in the absence of significant changes in IBD activity.

Symptoms associated with healthcare resource utilization in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease.

Several symptoms have been connected to increased healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in the context of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including both Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). This study was designed to investigate the prevalence of IBD-associated symptoms and to determine whether any are independently associated with HRU. We undertook a retrospective analysis of data related to consecutive IBD patient encounters from a tertiary care referral center between 1/1/2015 and 8/31/2019. Demographics, clinical activity, endoscopic severity, IBD-related symptom scores, anxiety and depression scores, and other key clinical data were abstracted. Four hundred sixty-seven IBD patients [247f.: 220 m; 315 CD, 142 UC and 11 indeterminate colitis] were included in this study. The most common symptoms were fatigue (83.6%), fecal urgency (68.2%) and abdominal pain (63.5%). Fatigue, abdominal pain, anxiety or depression, corticosteroids, and opioids were each positively associated with HRU, while NSAID and mesalamine use were inversely associated on bivariate analysis. The only factor that demonstrated a statistically significant association with HRU in the whole cohort on multivariable analysis was abdominal pain. Abdominal pain is independently associated with HRU and should be specifically screened for in IBD patients to identify individuals at risk of undergoing expensive interventions. This study also reinforces the importance of optimizing diagnostic and therapeutic management of abdominal pain in IBD.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy varies across the USA. Data on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are lacking. We assessed COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its associated variables in patients with IBD. METHODS: We evaluated voluntary patient survey responses during routine clinical visits to our IBD center. Data collected included demographic and clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate significant associations with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. RESULTS: A total of 239 individuals completed the survey. Over a third of respondents (35.6%) expressed hesitancy toward receiving the COVID-19 vaccine due to vaccine safety concerns (49.4%) and efficacy (23.5%), while others reported non-specific concerns (34.1%). On univariate analysis, Crohn's disease (OR 2.33 CI 1.28-4.25 p = 0.0056), use of biologic medications (OR 1.93 CI 1.16-3.23, p = 0.012), previous self-reported vaccine refusal (OR 8.13 CI 2.90-22.82 p = 0.0001), earlier date of survey administration (OR 2.01 CI 1.17-3.44 p = 0.011), and self-reported COVID infection (OR 2.55 CI 1.16-5.61 p = 0.0056) were more likely to be associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. On multivariate analysis, patient age, previous vaccine refusal and date of survey administration were more likely to be associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSIONS: Over one-third of patients with IBD expressed COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine safety and efficacy were the most common reasons. Younger age, previous vaccine refusal and earlier date of survey were more likely to be associated with hesitancy. Our findings suggest that there is room for targeted education to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake in patients with IBD.

Symptoms and Extraintestinal Manifestations in Active Cannabis Users with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Introduction: Cannabis use is common in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Patients frequently use cannabis to treat IBD-associated symptoms, and there is evidence that cannabis and its derivatives are helpful for this purpose. However, it is unclear how the symptom profiles of active IBD cannabis users and nonusers compare and how these symptoms may relate to their underlying disease state and/or complications. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using a consented IBD natural history registry from a single tertiary care referral center between January 1, 2015 and August 31, 2020. We asked patients about current cannabis use and frequency. We also abstracted demographic and clinical characteristic information, including endoscopic severity, and totals and subscores of surveys assessing IBD characteristics, presence of anxiety/depression, and IBD-associated symptoms. We compared clinical and demographic factors of cannabis users and nonusers and developed a logistic regression model to evaluate for independent associations with cannabis use. Results: Three hundred eighty-three IBD patients met the inclusion criteria (206 females, 177 males; 258 Crohn's disease [CD], 118 ulcerative colitis, and 7 indeterminate colitis). Thirty patients (7.8%) were active cannabis users, consuming it for an average of 2.7 times per week. Cannabis users were more likely to report abdominal pain (83.3% vs. 61.7%), gas (66.7% vs. 45.6%), tenesmus (70.0% vs. 47.6%), and arthralgias (53.3% vs. 20.3%) compared to those that did not use cannabis (p<0.05 for each). Incidence of moderate-severe endoscopic inflammation was similar between cannabis users and nonusers, while CD-associated complications were more common in nonusers (39.1% vs. 69.7%, p<0.05). The only factor that demonstrated a significant association with cannabis use on multivariable analysis was arthralgia (p<0.01). Discussion: Active IBD cannabis users were more likely to report a variety of symptoms, including abdominal pain, gas, tenesmus, and arthralgias. However, they did not demonstrate more frequent active disease or IBD-associated complications, suggesting that other nonluminal factors influence their symptoms and/or decision to use cannabis. These findings demonstrate the importance of evaluating for extraintestinal contributors to symptom burden in IBD cannabis users, as well as the ongoing need to develop safer and more effective methods for recognizing and managing abdominal pain and other symptoms in this setting.