Complete endoscopic healing is associated with lower disability than partial endoscopic healing in Crohn's disease: A prospective multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: Crohn's disease (CD) has a significant impact on health status and quality of life, affecting physical and emotional well-being and impairing social and functional abilities. In the era of the treat-to-target concept, endoscopic healing has emerged as the goal to achieve to prevent intestinal damage and disability. It is not clear what level of endoscopic healing is associated with lower disability. We therefore aimed to compare disability associated with complete endoscopic healing to disability with partial endoscopic healing in patients with CD. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter prospective study, between September 2019 and November 2020, in one university hospital, one general hospital, and one private practice center. Consecutive patients with CD in clinical remission were included, having either complete endoscopic healing (CDEIS = 0) or partial endoscopic healing (CDEIS >0 and <4). The 10-item IBD-Disk self-assessment questionnaire was used to assess disability. Moderate to severe disability was defined as an overall IBD-Disk score ≥40. RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were included. Forty-four (53%) were women, the median age and disease duration were respectively 35.3 years (interquartile range [IQR], 28.6-45.2) and 8.0 years (IQR, 3.0-17.0). The median overall IBD-Disk score was 26.5 (IQR, 9 -45.0), and 30 (36.6%) patients had moderate to severe disability. Complete endoscopic healing was observed in 48 patients (57.3%). The median IBD-Disk score was respectively 24 (IQR, 9.0-40.5) and 34 (IQR, 9.5-51.5) for patients with complete and partial endoscopic healing (p = 0.068). Respectively, 13/48 (27%) and 17/34 (50%) of patients with complete and partial endoscopic healing had moderate to severe disability (p = 0.039). In multivariate analysis, partial endoscopic healing (OR=5.82, 95% CI [1.65, 24.69], p = 0.0009), female gender (OR=4.0, 95%CI [1.13, 16.58], p = 0.04), and smoking (OR=8.33, 95% CI [1.96, 50.0] p = 0.006) were significantly associated with moderate to severe disability. Among the IBD-Disk sub scores, the defecation score (median, IQR) (0.0 [0.0-3.0] vs 4.0 [0.0-7.5], p = 0.028) and energy score (4.0 [0.0-6.0] vs 6.0 [2.5-8.0], p = 0.023) were significantly lower with complete endoscopic healing. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of patient with endoscopic healing reported moderate to severe disability. Complete endoscopic healing (CDEIS = 0) was associated with lower disability than partial endoscopic healing (CDEIS >0 and <4). Deeper endoscopic healing may be needed to reduce the risk of disability in CD.

Endoscopic balloon dilation of colorectal strictures complicating Crohn's disease: a multicenter study.

INTRODUCTION: While endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) is widely used to manage ileal strictures, EBD of colorectal strictures remains poorly investigated in Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: We performed a retrospective study that included all consecutive CD patients who underwent EBD for native or anastomotic colorectal strictures in 9 tertiary centers between 1999 and 2018. Factors associated with EBD failure were also investigated by logistic regression. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients (25 women, median age: 36 years (InterQuartile Range, 31-48) were included. Among the 60 strictures, 52 (87%) were native, 39 (65%) measured < 5 cm and the most frequent location was the left colon (27%). Fifty-seven (95%) were non-passable by the scope and 35 (58%) were ulcerated. Among the 161 EBDs performed (median number of dilations per stricture: 2, IQR 1-3), technical and clinical success were achieved for 79% (n = 116/147) and 77% (n = 88/115), respectively. One perforation occurred (0.6% per EDB and 2% per patient). After a median follow-up of 4.3 years (IQR 2.0-8.4), 24 patients (42%) underwent colonic resection and 24 (42%) were asymptomatic without surgery. One colon lymphoma and one colorectal cancer were diagnosed (3.5% of patients) from endoscopic biopsies and at the time of surgery, respectively. No factor was associated with technical or clinical success. CONCLUSION: EDB of CD-associated colorectal strictures is feasible, efficient and safe, with more than 40% becoming asymptomatic without surgery.