Impact of completely histological remission on reducing flare-ups in moderate-to-severe, biologics-experienced ulcerative colitis patients with endoscopic remission.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Endoscopic remission is presently recognized as the standard therapeutic target in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). However, achieving histological remission is increasingly viewed as a pivotal objective. This study investigates the effects of attaining completely histological remission on the clinical outcomes for UC patients with a high disease burden who have already reached endoscopic remission. This is the inaugural study to concentrate on this specific patient demographic. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled moderate-to-severe, biologics-experienced UC patients with completely endoscopic remission (Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0) between June 2017 and October 2023 at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou. Patients were classified into histological remission (HR) and non-histological remission (non-HR) groups based on the Nancy index (NI). HR was defined as an NI score of 0, with all other patients categorized as non-HR. The definition of flare-ups was based on both clinical and endoscopic evidence. Comparative analyses focused on baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes at follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients (HR group: 23, non-HR group: 19) were included. The average follow-up duration was 17.6 months. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. At the end of follow-up, the HR group showed a significantly lower rate of acute flare-ups (26.1% vs. 68.4%, P = 0.006). Although not statistically significant, the HR group also experienced fewer emergency department visits and hospital admissions. CONCLUSIONS: For moderate-to-severe, biologics-experienced UC patients in endoscopic remission, achieving completely histological remission is associated with a substantial reduction in flare-ups, suggesting its potential as a valuable therapeutic target.

Management of Crohn's disease in Taiwan: consensus guideline of the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease updated in 2023.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, fluctuating inflammatory condition that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. Although the incidence of CD in Taiwan is lower than that in Western countries, the severity of CD presentation appears to be similar between Asia and the West. This observation indicates the urgency for devising revised guidelines tailored to the unique reimbursement system, and patient requirements in Taiwan. The core objectives of these updated guidelines include the updated treatment choices and the integration of the treat-to-target strategy into CD management, promoting the achievement of deep remission to mitigate complications and enhance the overall quality of life. Given the diversity in disease prevalence, severity, insurance policies, and access to medical treatments in Taiwan, a customized approach is imperative for formulating these guidelines. Such tailored strategies ensure that international standards are not only adapted but also optimized to local contexts. Since the inception of its initial guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (TSIBD) has acknowledged the importance of continuous revisions for incorporating new therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. The latest update leverages international standards and recent research findings focused on practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system.

Management of ulcerative colitis in Taiwan: consensus guideline of the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease updated in 2023.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and is characterized by alternating periods of inflammation and remission. Although UC incidence is lower in Taiwan than in Western countries, its impact remains considerable, demanding updated guidelines for addressing local healthcare challenges and patient needs. The revised guidelines employ international standards and recent research, emphasizing practical implementation within the Taiwanese healthcare system. Since the inception of the guidelines in 2017, the Taiwan Society of Inflammatory Bowel Disease has acknowledged the need for ongoing revisions to incorporate emerging therapeutic options and evolving disease management practices. This updated guideline aims to align UC management with local contexts, ensuring comprehensive and context-specific recommendations, thereby raising the standard of care for UC patients in Taiwan. By adapting and optimizing international protocols for local relevance, these efforts seek to enhance health outcomes for patients with UC.

Update on Imaging-based Noninvasive Methods for Assessing Hepatic Steatosis in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), among the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide, affects approximately 25% of the global population. Its incidence is increasing owing to various risk factors, including genetic variation, metabolic health, dietary habits, and microbiota. Hepatic steatosis is a critical histological characteristic of NAFLD. Evaluating liver fat content is vital for identifying and following up with patients at risk of developing NAFLD. NAFLD includes simple liver steatosis and more severe forms such as inflammation, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. The early assessment of fatty liver is important for reversing liver disease progression. Metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease recently replaced NAFLD as the most common hepatic disease worldwide. This article reviews the current state of noninvasive imaging, especially ultrasound, for liver fat quantification.

Acute pancreatitis presented with diffuse ST-segment elevation: A case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Although electrocardiographic changes have been previously reported in patients with acute pancreatitis, diffuse ST-segment elevation without occluded coronary arteries is rarely documented. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 45-year-old man presented to our emergency department due to persistent epigastric pain for 2 hours. However, ECG in the emergency department revealed regular sinus rhythm at 67 beats per minute, peaked T waves in lead V3-5, and upsloping ST-segment elevation in leads II, III, aVF, and V2-6. DIAGNOSIS: He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and presented with diffuse ST-segment elevation. INTERVENTIONS: Laboratory workup and computed tomography supported the diagnosis of acute gallstone pancreatitis and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed. Coronary angiography showed patent coronary arteries finally. OUTCOMES: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic papillo-sphincterotomy were performed, and the stone in the common bile duct was removed smoothly without immediate complication. Due to his relatively stable condition, he was discharged on day 7 of admission. CONCLUSION: We presented an uncommon case of acute pancreatitis demonstrating similar features of AMI. This reminds cardiologists and emergency physicians to make the judgment with more caution to avoid jumping to conclusions and providing inappropriate treatment.

Intestinal Ultrasound in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Novel and Increasingly Important Tool.

New and efficacious medical therapies have become available that have greatly enhanced clinicians' ability to manage inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). IBD activity should be assessed regularly in scheduled examinations as the part of a treat-to-target strategy for IBD care. The gold-standard approach to investigating IBD is colonoscopy, but this is an invasive procedure. Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) has played a crucial role in recent years regarding the assessment of IBD activity because it is noninvasive, safe, reproducible, and inexpensive. IUS findings could inform changes in therapeutic interventions for IBDs; this would necessitate fewer endoscopies and enable faster decision-making processes. Furthermore, patients are accepting and tolerant of IUS examinations. This review outlines the current evidence and gives indication regarding the use of IUS in the management of IBDs.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on inflammatory bowel disease care in Taiwan: A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a great impact on healthcare system and patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perceptions of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: This prospective multicenter study was conducted between July 2021 and December 2021. Patients with IBD answered a structured questionnaire, and their degree of anxiety was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before and after reading educational materials. RESULTS: A total of 225 (47.67%) patients with Crohn's disease, 244 (51.69%) with ulcerative colitis and 3 (0.64%) with indeterminate colitis were enrolled. Common concerns were adverse events from vaccination (20.34%), and higher risks of developing severe COVID-19 (19.28%) and COVID-19 infection (16.31%) than the general population. Medications deemed by the patients to increase the risk of COVID-19 were immunomodulators (16.10%), anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists (9.96%), and corticosteroids (9.32%). Thirty-five (7.42%) patients self-discontinued IBD medication, of whom 12 (34.28%) had worse symptoms. Older age (>50 years) (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.19, p = 0.03), IBD-related complications (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04-1.28, p = 0.01), education status below senior high school (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.37, p = 0.001), and residing in north-central Taiwan (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.34, p < 0.001) were associated with more anxiety. None of the enrolled patients contracted COVID-19. The anxiety VAS score (mean ± SD) improved after reading the educational materials (3.84 ± 2.33 vs. 2.81 ± 1.96, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The medical behavior of IBD patients was influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and their anxiety could be mitigated after education.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors for rebleeding in uremic patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding undergoing deep enteroscopy: A multi-center retrospective study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Recurrent obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) in patients with chronic kidney disease is a challenge often faced by physicians, given the need for repeated hospitalizations, multiple extensive examinations, limited treatment options, and high medical costs. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical characteristics of uremic patients undergoing deep enteroscopy for OGIB and analyze the risk factors for rebleeding in these patients after undergoing single-balloon enteroscopy (SBE). METHODS: Out of 765 patients with OGIB who underwent 1004 procedures of SBE in four teaching hospitals, 78 uremic patients with OGIB were enrolled. Clinical characteristics and endoscopic findings were collected, and multiple variables were analyzed to determine the risk of rebleeding after SBE. RESULTS: The diagnostic yield was 75.6%, and the rebleeding rate was 29.5% in the enrolled uremic patients. The most common etiology was angiodysplasia (74.6%) and the most common site was the jejunum (50.8%). The endoscopic intervention rate was 62.8% and most patients were treated with argon plasma coagulation (75.6%). Among the eight patients with valvular heart disease (VHD), four (50%) had severe aortic stenosis, and the remaining had non-aortic stenosis-VHD. VHD (p < 0.05) and angiodysplasia (p < 0.05) were both associated with a higher rebleeding rate. CONCLUSION: VHD may be an independent risk factor associated with rebleeding after SBE in uremic patients with OGIB. Moreover, uremic patients with angiodysplasia-related bleeding appear to have a higher rebleeding rate than those with alternative causes of bleeding.

Predicting Factors for Pancreatic Malignancy with Computed Tomography and Endoscopic Ultrasonography in Chronic Pancreatitis.

Diagnosing pancreatic malignancy is challenging, especially in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a promising diagnostic procedure for discriminating between malignancy and CP. We aimed to investigate the predictive factors and reliability of computed tomography (CT) and EUS for differentiating pancreatic mass lesions and the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-FNA or FNB in patients with CP. Forty patients with CP, receiving CT and EUS-FNA or FNB for pancreatic mass lesion evaluation, were enrolled in the study. Patients' data, CT and EUS characteristics, image-based diagnosis, cytopathology, and final diagnosis were recorded. EUS was superior to CT in terms of diagnostic accuracy (92.5% vs. 82.5%, p = 0.02). Both CT and EUS showed significant predictive factors (all p < 0.05) with the tumor image hypoattenuation pattern or vessel invasion on CT and pancreatic duct dilatation, or distal pancreatic atrophy on EUS. EUS imaging is a reliable modality for evaluating pancreatic lesions, even with a CP background. The EUS image has a higher diagnostic accuracy than CT. Predicting factors, including hypoechoic pattern, pancreatic duct dilatation, and distal pancreas atrophy, may help to differentiate benign or malignant in patients with CP.

Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome (BRBNS): A Rare Cause of Refractory Anemia in Children.

Refractory anemia is not uncommon in pediatric patients, and anemia caused by gastrointestinal tract bleeding should always be kept in mind. Aside from infection or intestinal malrotation related bleeding, vascular malformation should also be considered. Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare vascular disorder consisting of multiple venous malformations. Lack of experience in pediatric BRBNS might lead to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. Herein, we report a case of an eleven-year-old boy with recurrent pallor appearance and weakness diagnosed with BRBNS. After a thorough examination, he was treated with endoscopic polypectomy, and further iron supplements and folic acid. He is now under regular follow-up at our outpatient department. No complication is noted for six months. BRBNS is a rare venous malformation syndrome that mostly involves skin and the gastrointestinal tract. Multidisciplinary approach should be arranged for diagnosis and management. Up to date, no consensus for BRBNS treatment has been reached. Management usually depends on clinical symptoms and severity of damage of involved organs. The options of treatment include conservative, medical, endoscopic, and surgical management.

Meckel's Diverticulum Diagnosed by Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy: A Multicenter Report from the Taiwan Association for the Study of Small Intestinal Diseases (TASSID).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with Meckel's diverticulum (MD) are difficult to preoperatively diagnose because of its endoscopic inaccessibility. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) allows endoscopic access to the entire small intestine. The aim of the current study was to investigate patients with MD diagnosed by BAE in Taiwan. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study of patients with MD who were diagnosed by BAE in Taiwan. The clinical characteristics, endoscopic features, histopathological findings, treatment methods, and outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 55 patients with MD were enrolled (46 males and 9 females). The mean age at diagnosis was 34.1 years. Overt gastrointestinal bleeding (87.3%) was the primary indication for BAE, followed by abdominal pain (9.1%), suspected small bowel tumor (1.8%), and Crohn's disease follow-up (1.8%). The mean distance between the ileocecal valve and MD was 71.6 cm (regarding diagnostic yields: BAE-100%, capsule endoscopy-40%, Meckel's scan-35.7%, computed tomography-14.6%, small bowel series-12.5%, and angiography-11.1%; regarding endoscopic features of MD: a large ostium-89.1%, a small ostium-7.3%, and a polypoid mass-3.6%). Surgical treatment was performed in 76.4% patients, and conservative treatment was performed in 23.6% patients. The mean length of MD in 42 patients who underwent surgical resection was 5.2 cm (in 43 patients of MD with available histopathology: heterotopic gastric tissue, 42.4%, heterotopic gastric and pancreatic tissues, 7%; heterotopic pancreatic tissue, 4.7%; heterotopic colonic tissue, 2.3%; and a neuroendocrine tumor, 2.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed BAE is a very useful modality for detecting MD compared with other conventional modalities.

Impact of COVID-19 on liver.

The incidence of liver injury after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection ranged from 15%-53%. The mechanism includes direct viral cytopathic effect, cytokinesis, and treatment drug-induced liver injury. The symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. The laboratory results include increased liver enzyme levels, decreased monocyte count, and longer prothrombin time. The most common imaging findings are hepatomegaly on ultrasound, ground-glass opacity on chest computed tomography (CT), and liver hypodensity and pericholecystic fat stranding on abdominal CT. Patients may also have different presentations and poor outcomes of different liver diseases concomitant with COVID-19 infection. Liver function test (LFT) results should be monitored, and all factors known to cause or predispose liver injury should be investigated while managing the patients. The risks of transfer to an intensive care unit, need for mechanical ventilator support, and acute kidney injury is higher in COVID-19 patients with than without abnormal LFTs. Increased mortality and length of hospital stay are both observed.

Efficacy of telbivudine and entecavir against virus reactivation in HBeAg-patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The renal protective effect of telbivudine (LdT) was verified by a previous meta-analysis. It was left unclear, however if this effect offsets the associated risk of virological breakthrough in hepatitis B e-antigen-negative (HBeAg-) patients receiving chemotherapy (C/T).Records of 260 HBeAg-, non-cirrhotic cancer patients undergoing systemic C/T with prophylactic LdT or entecavir (ETV) were retrospectively investigated. The investigation was conducted 6 months after completion of C/T, patient death from cancer, or antiviral modification. Treatment duration, outcome, change of renal function, and reason for antiviral modification were analyzed. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of virological breakthrough during prophylaxis C/T and the change in renal function.Of the 126 HBeAg- patients treated with LdT, 3 (2.38%) experienced HBV virological breakthroughs, whereas none of the patients treated with ETV (P = .07) did. The estimated glomerular filtration rate for the patients treated with LdT was essentially unaltered, decreasing only slightly from 87.5 ±â€Š23.1 to 87.3 ±â€Š21.3 ml/minute/1.73 m (P = .55), while the rate for the ETV-treated patients was significantly lowered from 95.7 ±â€Š32.2 to 85.5 ±â€Š85.7 ml/minute/1.73 m (P = .0009).The absolute risk reduction ARR is 27.8% - 21.2% = 6.6%, comparing ETV with LdT for reduction of renal function impairment and the absolute risk increase for virological breakthrough during C/T, the absolute risk increase (ARI) is 2.38% - 0% = 2.38%. The overall likelihood of being helped over being harmed was 2.77. With careful selection of patients with the criteria of HBeAg-status and non-hematologic cancer, it is feasible that telbivudine raise lower probability of virological breakthroughs during prophylaxis treatment.

Bacillus coagulans (PROBACI) in treating constipation-dominant functional bowel disorders.

Bacillus coagulans (PROBACI) bacteria have been examined for efficacy against infectious or inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of this observational and cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effects of PROBACI against various functional bowel symptoms.Thirty-eight enrolled patients (36.5 ±â€Š12.6 years) with functional bowel disorders in a gastrointestinal clinic were administered PROBACI (300-mg formulation containing 1 × 10 colony-forming units of B coagulans) twice/day over a 4-week period. Abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and global assessment were evaluated using a 5-point visual analog scale. The defecation characteristics, discomfort level, and effort required for defecation were recorded. The gut-microbiota composition in terms of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was analyzed by 16S-ribosomal RNA gene sequencing with stool samples at days 0, 14, and 28 post-treatment.The 38 patients achieved significant improvements in abdominal pain (2.8 ±â€Š0.5 to 3.3 ±â€Š0.7, P = .0009), abdominal distention (2.5 ±â€Š0.7 to 3.2 ±â€Š0.8, P = .0002), and global assessment (2.7 ±â€Š0.6 to 3.6 ±â€Š0.7, P = .0001) from days 0 to 14. Compared with the diarrhea group, the constipation group achieved greater improvements in terms of discomfort during defecation (2.5 ±â€Š0.7 to 3.1 ±â€Š0.7, P = .02) and normalization of defecation style (50% vs 7.1%, P = .007) by day 28. A difference was observed in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio between the constipation-dominant group (118.0) and diarrhea-dominant group (319.2), but this difference was not significant.PROBACI provided control of abdominal pain, less discomfort during defecation, and a more normalized defecation style, especially in the constipation-dominant group.

Impact of direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

With the introduction of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents, hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has dramatically improved. However, there are insufficient data on the benefits of DAA therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcome of patients who received DAA therapy after HCC treatment. We retrospectively reviewed patients with HCV-related HCC in a single medical center, and the outcome of patients with or without DAA therapy was analyzed. In total, 107 HCC patients were enrolled, of whom 60 had received DAA therapy after treatment for HCC. There were no significant intergroup differences in age, sex, laboratory results, or tumor burden. A more advanced stage was noted in the no DAA group (P = 0.003). In the treatment modality, sorafenib was commonly prescribed in the no DAA group (P = 0.007). The DAA group had a longer overall survival (OS) time than the no DAA group (P<0.001). When stratified by Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging, the DAA group had better OS in the HCC stages 0-A and B-C (P = 0.034 and P = 0.006). There were 35 patients who received DAA therapy after curative HCC therapy. At a median follow-up of 20 months, 37.1% patients had HCC recurrence after DAA therapy. There was no statistical difference in recurrence-free survival between patients receiving and those not receiving DAA (P = 0.278). DAA therapy improved the survival outcome of HCC patients and did not increase recurrent HCC after curative therapy. .

Emphysematous Pancreatitis in the Elderly.

BACKGROUND: Emphysematous pancreatitis (EP) is an unusual medical emergency that presents with intraparenchymal pancreatic air in the setting of necrotizing infection. We aimed to determine the differences in the epidemiology, etiology, clinical presentation, symptoms and outcome of EP between elderly and nonelderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PubMed search was performed using the keywords "emphysematous pancreatitis," "gas-forming pancreatitis" and "pancreatitis and pneumoperitoneum" from March 1959 to February 2019. Forty-two EP articles with 58 patients were enrolled in our study. We divided the patients into ≥65 (elderly, n = 25) and <65-year age groups (non-elderly, n = 33). Data on patient age, sex, comorbidities, symptoms, clinical findings, etiologies, laboratory results, treatments, outcomes and mortality were collected and analyzed using the Student's t test and chi-square test using IBM SPSS 20. P values < 0.05 (2-tailed) indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: Alcohol- and biliary pancreatitis-related EP were 4.95- and 4-fold, respectively, more frequent in the elderly than in the nonelderly (36% versus [vs.] 9.1%, P < 0.05). Fever was more frequent in the nonelderly than in the elderly (69.7% vs. 36%, P < 0.05). The elderly presented with more severe shock status (68% vs. 33.3%, P < 0.05) and received more surgical interventions than the nonelderly (60% vs. 30.3%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Biliary pancreatitis is the most common type of EP in the elderly and has an atypical presentation with less fever, more severe shock, and more surgical interventions. In treating elderly patients with pancreatitis, immediate administration of adequate antibiotics, assisted drainage and early surgical intervention are needed to prevent shock.

Risk factors for mortality in emphysematous pancreatitis.

Objective: To investigate the difference in the characteristics between patients with emphysematous pancreatitis (EP) who survived and those who died. Methods: PubMed search was performed to gather EP cases from March 1959 to February 2019. Forty-two articles with 58 EP cases were identified and met the study's inclusion criteria. The elderly were defined as individuals aged >65 years. Data on patients' demographics, clinical symptoms, laboratory results, treatments, outcomes, and mortality were collected and analyzed by chi-square test and Student's t-test. p-Value <.05 (2-tailed) was set as the significance level. Results: Forty-seven men and eleven women aged 61.3 ± 15.9 (mean ± standard deviation) years were included. The elderly accounted for 43.1% (n = 25) of cases. There were 20 mortality cases, and 38 cases survived, with an overall mortality rate of 34.5%. Sex, underlying diseases, etiologies, and laboratory results were not significantly related to mortality. Older age was significantly related to mortality (p = .001). The shock was more commonly seen in the mortality group (100%) than in the survival group (21%) (p < .001). In contrast, fever was less frequent in the mortality group than in the survival group (25 vs. 71%, p = .002). Conclusions: EP patients have a high mortality rate (34.5%). Older age, afebrile status, and presence of shock are associated with high mortality. To improve the survival of this aggressive group, a further prospective investigation involving a larger sample size is necessary.

Endoscopic management of strictures in patients with Crohn's disease - A multi-center experience in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal (GI) disorder that causes relapsing inflammation and severe mucosal damage in the intestine. Crohn's disease (CD)-related stricturing complications are a major cause of surgery, disability, and reduced quality of life. Endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) has been shown to reliably delay or prevent surgery in patients with stricturing CD. However, cases of EBD performed for stricture in CD in Taiwan are rare. In this study, we want to evaluate the experiences regarding EBD for stricturing CD in Taiwan. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 9 medical centers in Taiwan. Patients with CD-related strictures who were treated with EBD were included and analyzed. RESULTS: In nine medical centers, a total of 26 CD patients (19 male, 7 female, mean disease duration 75.4 ± 65.2 months) underwent 42 EBD procedures during the study period. Among the subjects, an 83.3% (35/42) EBD success rate was seen, but 26.9% (7/26) patients underwent surgery after ineffective EBD. In the surgery group, the the small bowel strictures was high compared with the non-surgery group (p = 0.01). There were no significant differences in disease phenotype, disease duration or history of fistulizing disease. In the surgery group, immunosuppressant use was high, and 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) use was low compared with the non-surgery group. After EBD, the physicians tended to change the drugs, especially increasing the use of biologic agents. CONCLUSION: EBD is a safe and effective procedure for CD-related stricture, with a 83.3% success rate in Taiwan.