Moderate endurance and muscle training is beneficial and safe in patients with quiescent or mildly active Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Physical activity is beneficial in several chronic disorders including Crohn's disease, but the preferred type of exercise is unknown. Our study aimed to examine and compare the safety, feasibility and potential beneficial effects of individual moderate endurance and moderate muscle training in patients with Crohn's disease. METHODS: Quiescent or mildly active (Crohn's disease activity index <220) patients with Crohn's disease were randomly allocated to either a control, endurance, or muscle training group. Participants exercised individually for 3 months three times per week. Endpoints included dropout rate, disease activity, inflammatory parameters including faecal calprotectin, anthropometric data, quality of life, physical activity and strength. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients with Crohn's disease were randomly allocated. In the endurance group (n = 17), the dropout rate was significantly higher (47% vs. 13%) compared with the muscle group (n = 15). In both groups the maximal and average strength in the upper and lower extremities increased significantly (all P < 0.04). In the endurance group emotional function was significantly improved (P = 0.03). Statistically significant changes of disease activity and other outcome parameters were not observed in this pilot cohort. CONCLUSION: Both individual moderate endurance and muscle training can be safely performed in patients with mild or quiescent Crohn's disease. Muscle training appears more feasible and may be favoured. Both forms of exercise have beneficial effects on strength. Quality of life increased in both intervention groups, although statistical significance was only reached in one subgroup.

Preoperative Exclusive Total Parental Nutrition is Associated with Clinical and Laboratory Remission in Severe Active Crohn's Disease-A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: The effect of 1-3 months of preoperative exclusive total parental nutrition (TPN) in active Crohn's disease (CD) patients is not well established. We investigated the efficacy of exclusive TPN in active CD patients. METHODS: In a retrospective multi-visit study with data according to our standard care therapy, we assessed clinical and laboratory remission to refractory CD with exclusive preoperative TPN. Inclusion required exclusive preoperative home TPN without additional oral intake for 1-3 months prior to planning surgery. RESULTS: Twenty preoperative CD patients (65% male; 35% female) were on exclusive TPN. The mean age of the cohort was 30.8 ± 11.6 years. Mean duration of preoperative TPN treatment was 73 days (range: 24-142 days). Most patients had terminal ileal (35%) or ileocolonic CD (30%), and with stricturing (B2) phenotype. All 20 patients had significant clinical improvement in all disease activity indices at the end of preoperative TPN (baseline vs. post TPN): HBI 14.5 vs. 4.0 (p = 0.001); BMI 19.2 vs. 19.7 kg/m2 (p = 0.017); CRP 57.2 vs. 10.3 mg/L (p = 0.001); Fecal calprotectin (FC) 672 vs. 200 (µg/g); albumin 2.7 vs. 3.6 g/dL (p = 0.001). Two patients (10%) no longer required surgery after completion of exclusive TPN. CONCLUSION: Exclusive preoperative TPN was found to provide significant improvement in nutritional status, and clinical and laboratory remission in severe active Crohn's patients.

Nutritional Rehabilitation in Patients with Malnutrition Due to Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease frequently associated with malabsorption and secondary protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). METHODS: Biochemical and clinical data of 63 (34 females, 29 males) patients with PEM due to CD sent to our outpatient unit for nutritional evaluation were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups, according to disease activity. Thirty-eight patients (group A) had the active disease, and 25 patients (group B) suffered from malabsorption resulting from past intestinal resections due to CD. After a physical and hemato-biochemical evaluation at the first visit, all patients received disease-specific personalized dietetic indications. When indicated, oral nutritional supplements, oral/parenteral vitamins, micronutrients, and electrolytes, up to parenteral nutrition, were prescribed. RESULTS: After 1, 3, and 6 months of nutritional therapy, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and serum butyryl-cholinesterase significantly improved in both groups. In 8 out of 13 (61.5%) patients with a cutaneous stoma, intestinal continuity was restored. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the effectiveness of nutritional rehabilitation and provides information on the time required for nutritional treatment in patients with CD, both during the acute phase and after malabsorption due to intestinal resection.

High-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training in adults with Crohn's disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of two common types of exercise training-high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT)-in adults with Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: In this mixed-methods pilot trial, participants with quiescent or mildly-active CD were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to HIIT, MICT or usual care control, and followed up for 6 months. The HIIT and MICT groups were offered three exercise sessions per week for the first 12 weeks. Feasibility outcomes included rates of recruitment, retention, outcome completion, and exercise attendance. Data were collected on cardiorespiratory fitness (e.g., peak oxygen uptake), disease activity, fatigue, quality of life, adverse events, and intervention acceptability (via interviews). RESULTS: Over 17 months, 53 patients were assessed for eligibility and 36 (68%) were randomised (47% male; mean age 36.9 [SD 11.2] years); 13 to HIIT, 12 to MICT, and 11 to control. The exercise session attendance rate was 62% for HIIT (288/465) and 75% for MICT (320/429), with 62% of HIIT participants (8/13) and 67% of MICT participants (8/12) completing at least 24 of 36 sessions. One participant was lost to follow-up. Outcome completion rates ranged from 89 to 97%. The mean increase in peak oxygen uptake, relative to control, was greater following HIIT than MICT (2.4 vs. 0.7 mL/kg/min). There were three non-serious exercise-related adverse events, and two exercise participants experienced disease relapse during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the feasibility and acceptability of the exercise programmes and trial procedures. A definitive trial is warranted. Physical exercise remains a potentially useful adjunct therapy in CD. [ID: ISRCTN13021107].

Building the Case for Quality Improvement.

Great improvements have been made by quality improvement teams. National trends towards using quality and value metrics in reimbursement suggest that physicians and advanced practitioners caring for children and adolescents will benefit from knowing and using quality improvement methods. These methods will also help as transparency of quality data becomes more commonplace.

Exclusive enteral nutrition in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Nutritional interventions play a central role in the treatment and management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in children. Although malnutrition is a common presenting sign of IBD, nutritional interventions have focused not only on correction of the malnourished state but also on treatment of the primary disease. RECENT FINDINGS: Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been the primary therapy utilized in pediatric IBD specifically, Crohn's disease. This intervention provides total calories from formula meeting complete macronutrient and micronutrient needs for a patient. EEN has been shown to improve growth and correct micronutrient deficiencies as well as improve comorbid conditions like osteopenia and anemia. EEN has also been shown to be equally as efficacious as steroids in inducing remission with better mucosal healing. SUMMARY: EEN is a primary therapy in IBD. Both the North American and European Societies of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition consider EEN as first line therapy for inducing remission in Crohn's disease.

Effect of threatening life experiences and adverse family relations in ulcerative colitis: analysis using structural equation modeling and comparison with Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We published that threatening life experiences and adverse family relations impact Crohn's disease (CD) adversely. In this study, we examine the influence of these stressors in ulcerative colitis (UC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients completed demography, economic status (ES), the Patient-Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (P-SCCAI), the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Family Assessment Device (FAD), and the List of Threatening Life Experiences (LTE). Analysis included multiple linear and quantile regressions and structural equation modeling, comparing CD. RESULTS: UC patients (N=148, age 47.55±16.04 years, 50.6% women) had scores [median (interquartile range)] as follows: SCAAI, 2 (0.3-4.8); FAD, 1.8 (1.3-2.2); LTE, 1.0 (0-2.0); SF-36 Physical Health, 49.4 (36.8-55.1); SF-36 Mental Health, 45 (33.6-54.5); Brief Symptom Inventory-Global Severity Index (GSI), 0.5 (0.2-1.0). SIBDQ was 49.76±14.91. There were significant positive associations for LTE and SCAAI (25, 50, 75% quantiles), FAD and SF-36 Mental Health, FAD and LTE with GSI (50, 75, 90% quantiles), and ES with SF-36 and SIBDQ. The negative associations were as follows: LTE with SF-36 Physical/Mental Health, SIBDQ with FAD and LTE, ES with GSI (all quantiles), and P-SCCAI (75, 90% quantiles). In structural equation modeling analysis, LTE impacted ES negatively and ES impacted GSI negatively; LTE impacted GSI positively and GSI impacted P-SCCAI positively. In a split model, ES had a greater effect on GSI in UC than CD, whereas other path magnitudes were similar. CONCLUSION: Threatening life experiences, adverse family relations, and poor ES make UC patients less healthy both physically and mentally. The impact of ES is worse in UC than CD.

Impact of inflammatory bowel disease on Japanese patients' quality of life: results of a patient questionnaire survey.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has a significant negative impact on quality of life (QOL); however, the direct impact of IBD on several aspects of patients' lives is unknown. The IMPACT survey was conducted in Europe in 2010-2011 to determine this impact. We conducted the IMPACT survey in Japan and compared the results between subgroups of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: The 52-item IMPACT survey questionnaire assessing treatment and the impact of IBD on patients' lives was translated into Japanese and administered to IBD patients recruited through patient advocacy groups. RESULTS: Between June 2013 and January 2014, 172 Japanese IBD patients completed the questionnaire (including 84 UC and 83 CD patients). Half of all patients (84/172, 48.8 %) were satisfied with their treatment plan, and half of those who had undergone surgery were satisfied with the outcome (46/87, 52.9 %). Although 34.9 % (60/172) of patients had not been hospitalized in 5 years, 50.0 % (86/172) had been hospitalized for more than 10 days. During the most recent flare, 49.4 % (85/172) of patients had to reschedule appointments because of IBD. Moreover, 32.0 % (55/172) of patients had to make adjustments such as working part-time or at home to avoid taking sick days; 35.5 % (61/172) of patients felt that they had lost a job because of IBD. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey results indicate that IBD patients' lives and social activities are affected by the deterioration of QOL due to IBD and its symptoms.

«Fast track¼ and intestinal surgery for Crohn's disease: Factors associated with prolonged hospital stay. / Rehabilitación multimodal y cirugía intestinal por enfermedad de Crohn: Factores asociados a estancia hospitalaria prolongada.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with a prolonged postoperative stay (PS) in patients operated on with bowel resection for Crohn's disease (CD) included in an enhanced recovery program (ERP). METHODS: We included patients operated on for CD between January 2013 and December 2015. ERP was organized following an 8-point protocol. Variables studied were: age, sex, PS, ASA, location and type of CD, presence of perianal disease, Harvey-Bradshaw index, previous resection, type of surgery (minimally invasive vs. laparotomy) and Clavien Dindo. An inferential study was performed to identify factors related with a PS> 6 days and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 52 patients were operated on. The median PS was 8 days (IR: 5-11). In the univariate analysis, location (L1 vs. L2-3), type (B2 vs. B3), presence of perianal disease, prior surgery, type of surgery performed, Harvey-Bradshaw index and Clavien-Dindo were associated with a PS>or< than 6 days. The model that best adjusts to predict a PS> 6days contained the variable Harvey-Bradshaw (OR: 6,49; 95% CI: 1,46-28,8) and the type of surgery (OR: 0,23; 95%CI: 0,05-0,95). CONCLUSION: A prolonged postoperative stay after bowel resection for CD is more related to the type or severity of the disease and the type of surgery performed, than with other patient factors. Patients with CD need good coordination between prehabilitation, ERP and postoperative management.

Management of Crohn's Disease in the New Era of Gut Rehabilitation and Intestinal Transplantation.

Despite recent therapeutic advances, patients with Crohn's disease (CD) continue to experience high recurrence with cumulative structural damage and ultimate loss of nutritional autonomy. With short bowel syndrome, strictures, and enteric fistulae being the underlying pathology, CD is the second common indication for home parenteral nutrition (HPN). With development of intestinal failure, nutritional management including HPN is required as a rescue therapy. Unfortunately, some patients do not escape the HPN-associated complications. Therefore, the concept of gut rehabilitation has evolved as part of the algorithmic management of these patients, with transplantation being the ultimate life-saving therapy. With type 2 intestinal failure, comprehensive rehabilitative measures including nutritional care, pharmacologic manipulation, autologous reconstruction, and bowel lengthening is often successful, particularly in patients with quiescent disease. With type 3 intestinal failure, transplantation is the only life-saving treatment for patients with HPN failure and intractable disease. With CD being the second common indication for transplantation in adults, survival outcome continues to improve because of surgical innovation, novel immunosuppression, and better postoperative care. Despite being a rescue therapy, the procedure has achieved survival rates similar to other solid organs, and comparable to those who continue to receive HPN therapy. With similar technical, immunologic, and infectious complications, survival is similar in the CD and non-CD recipients. Full nutritional autonomy is achievable in most survivors with better quality of life and long-term cost-effectiveness. CD recurrence is rare with no impact on graft function. Further progress is anticipated with new insights into the pathogenesis of CD and mechanisms of transplant tolerance.

Delayed diagnosis is influenced by the clinical pattern of Crohn's disease and affects treatment outcomes and quality of life in the long term: a cross-sectional study of 361 patients in Southern Italy.

OBJECTIVES: Three patterns of Crohn's disease (CD) have been described. Our aim was to investigate for differences in diagnostic delay between patterns of CD, and differences in treatment outcomes, need for surgery and quality of life (QoL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study. First, the data of CD patients observed at our IBD Referral Centre between 2000 and 2009 were analysed. We gathered demographical characteristics and data on the onset of clinical symptoms, progression until diagnosis and treatment. The risk of delayed diagnosis was computed for each pattern. We then asked patients to fill the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). QoL scores of patients receiving a diagnosis within 18 months from the onset of symptoms were matched with those of the remaining patients. RESULTS: Three-hundred and sixty-one patients were identified. The mean age of the patients at the onset of symptoms and at diagnosis was 30 ± 14 and 32 ± 14 years. The penetrating pattern showed an association only with perianal symptoms at onset (P = 0.0015). The risk of delayed diagnosis was 21, 27 and 59% for inflammatory, stricturing and penetrating patterns. We found a significant difference between penetrating and nonpenetrating patterns (P = 0.043). A delayed diagnosis was associated with poorer treatment outcomes, QoL and higher surgery rate. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests a correlation between delayed diagnosis and the CD pattern. The delay in diagnosis between the CD subtypes can influence outcomes and QoL.

Crohn's disease: rehabilitation after resection.

In general, the patient receiving surgery for Crohn's disease (CD) makes an uncomplicated recovery with a speed consistent with the degree of surgical 'insult' - which in these days of laparoscopic approach and minimalist resection often means very rapidly indeed. However, in the patient who has had repeated surgery and in those where there was profound intra-abdominal sepsis this may not be the case. A prolonged period of ileus is to be expected and patients may well require parenteral nutrition to support them through this time. A curious and incompletely understood form of functional short-bowel syndrome is also seen in these and other patients after CD resection. Despite apparently limited resection and known adequate residual bowel length, with more than 1.5 m of healthy small intestine remaining in continuity, some patients develop a high-output state with many litres of diarrhoea or stomal effluent each day. Fortunately, in most cases this resolves spontaneously, but the process may take months: again these individuals may need parenteral nutrition support (including home parenteral nutrition in some). Nutritional support is needed in a broader range of postoperative patients, however, and it is increasingly recognised that simply providing supplements and encouraging eating will not be enough to restore lean body mass and function unless it is combined with an exercise programme. Analogy with sports training helps both physicians and patients understand this better. The patient who has undergone CD surgery has often been ill for some time beforehand, and the psychological aspects of chronic disease and the changes brought about by surgery - especially the creation of a stoma - may themselves become the most prominent features of the rehabilitative phase. A multidisciplinary approach is clearly justified and should be made available to all post-operative patients as needed.

[The organization of comprehensive rehabilitation of the children presenting with inflammatory intestinal diseases and celiacia under the conditions of a health resort].

In this study we report the experience with the provision of rehabilitative services for the children presenting with long-standing chronic diseases of the digestive organs (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease) based at a regional health resort. The possibility of comprehensive rehabilitation was substantiated with the contribution by non-medical specialists including a psychologist, social worker, and educator. A number of organizational problems related to rehabilitation logistics and scientific support have been successfully solved. Standard programs comprising the mechanisms of comprehensive rehabilitation and methods for the evaluation of its effectiveness are proposed.

Clinical predictors at diagnosis of disabling pediatric Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Identification of children with Crohn's disease (CD) at high risk of disabling disease would be invaluable in guiding initial therapy. Our study aimed to identify predictors at diagnosis of a subsequent disabling course in a population-based cohort of patients with pediatric-onset CD. METHODS: Among 537 patients with pediatric CD diagnosed at <17 years of age, 309 (57%) with 5-year follow-up were included. Clinical and demographic factors associated with subsequent disabling CD were studied. Three definitions of disabling CD were used: Saint-Antoine and Liège Hospitals' definitions and a new pediatric definition based on the presence at maximal follow-up of: 1) growth delay defined by body mass index (BMI), weight or height lower than -2 SD Z score; and 2) at least one intestinal resection or two anal interventions. Predictors were determined using multivariate analyses and their accuracy using the kappa method considering a relevant value ≥ 0.6. RESULTS: According to the Saint-Antoine definition, the rate of disabling CD was 77% and predictors were complicated behavior and L1 location. According to the Liège definition, the rate was 37% and predictors included behavior, upper gastrointestinal disease, and extraintestinal manifestations. According to the pediatric definition, the rate of disabling CD was 15%, and predictors included complicated behavior, age <14, and growth delay at diagnosis. Kappa values for each combination of predictors were, respectively, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.2 and were nonrelevant. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical parameters at diagnosis are insufficient to predict a disabling course of pediatric CD. More complex models including serological and genetic biomarkers should be tested.

Unfavourable outcome for women in a study of health-related quality of life, social factors and work disability in Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to describe health-related quality of life (HRQL) and social factors, sickness and disability variables in a large population-based cohort of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: HRQL was measured with Short Form-36 in 497 adult patients with CD at three outpatient clinics. Comparisons were made with age-sex-matched background population and with ulcerative colitis (UC). Social factors, employment, sickness compensation and disability pension for CD were compared with national population registers. RESULTS: CD had a greater negative effect on HRQL than did UC. This difference was more pronounced for women. Compared with background population, patients with CD had lower educational level, and had a two-fold rise in long-term sickness and disability pension rate. Women with CD had higher rates of sickness and disability than men with CD and were more often living single, though procreation was not affected. CONCLUSION: This study characterized the burden of CD in a large population-based cohort. CD had higher impact on HRQL, compared with UC. Women with CD had worse outcome in subjective health status, but not in objective assessment of disease activity. Women also had higher rates of sickness, disability pension and single living. The mechanism underlying the sex-related inequalities in outcome for CD warrants further elucidation.

Appropriateness of Crohn's disease therapy in gastroenterological rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The treatment criteria developed by the European Panel on the Appropriateness of Crohn's Disease (CD) Therapy (EPACT) have not been applied to rehabilitation. Thus, we retrospectively evaluated appropriateness of treatments during CD rehabilitation using the EPACT website. METHODS: We included our 1-year inpatient rehabilitation patients that had been assigned the International Classification of Disease Code for CD. The appropriateness of treatment was assessed in CD categories exhibiting frequent treatment changes. Treatment plans were compared to EPACT recommendations. RESULTS: Charts of 337 proven CD patients (median age 42 [range 17-65] years, 250 women, median Crohn's Disease Activity Index 140 [range -3 to 427] units) were assigned to EPACT categories. The categories 'steroid-dependent' and 'steroid-refractory' exhibited frequent treatment changes. In these 59 patients, 16 treatments (13 azathioprine, 1 methotrexate, 2 infliximab) were rated as appropriate. One certolizumab treatment was uncertain. 22 treatments with azathioprine were inappropriate (21 due to underdosing), and 93 treatments (30 mesalamine, 59 steroid, 4 budesonide) were not rated. The number of differences between treatment plans and EPACT recommendations decreased from 45 to 25 in both CD categories (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We introduce the EPACT website as a practical advance towards an optimal therapy in rehabilitants with steroid-dependent or -refractory CD.

Linking Crohn's disease health status measurements with International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and vocational rehabilitation outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) serves as a unifying model for rehabilitation medicine. Variables of the health status measurements, the Crohn's Disease Activity Index and the Harvey-Bradshaw Index, have not been linked with the ICF categories and compared with other predictors of rehabilitation outcomes. METHODS: Crohn's Disease Activity Index variables were linked with ICF categories using linking rules. A chart review included the patients of our in-patient rehabilitation centre during one year (n=355) with International Classification of Disease Codes for Crohn's disease (ICD K50). We identified variables linked with clinical improvement (decrease in the Harvey-Bradshaw Index of > or = 2 U) and rehabilitation success (conversion from unfit-to-work to fit-to-work) by multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The ICF component, activities and participation, was not represented in the Crohn's Disease Activity Index and the Harvey-Bradshaw Index. A Harvey-Bradshaw Index > or = 5 U was associated with clinical improvement during rehabilitation (odds ratio 5.65 (95% CI 3.41-9.35)). Normal C-reactive protein (odds ratio 2.8 (95% CI 1.1-7.0)) and higher body mass index (odds ratio (per 1 kg/m2 increase) 1.1 (95% CI 1.0-1.2)), but not Harvey-Bradshaw Index, were associated with vocational rehabilitation success in 124 patients who were initially unfit-to-work. CONCLUSION: Variables representing activities and participation as well as immune functions may improve Crohn's disease health status measurements on the basis of better prediction of vocational rehabilitation success.

The role of self-blame and responsibility in adjustment to inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: S. C. Roesch and B. Weiner's (2001) theoretical model of adjustment to chronic illness was adapted to examine the role of attributions, avoidant coping strategies, and disease severity in the psychological adjustment of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). RESEARCH METHOD AND DESIGN: People with IBD (N = 259) completed an online survey including measures of health-related self-blame and responsibility attributions, disease severity, avoidant coping strategies, and psychological adjustment indexes (coping efficacy, acceptance, and helplessness). RESULTS: Structural equation modeling revealed that avoidant coping mediated the relationship between attributions and psychological adjustment. Attributions of self-blame were directly related to increased avoidant coping, which was in turn associated with poor adjustment. Beliefs about responsibility were associated with decreased use of avoidant coping strategies and subsequently improved psychological adjustment. Higher scores on disease severity were linked to the use of avoidant coping strategies and poor psychological adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Distinguishing between self-blame and responsibility attributions has important implications for understanding the psychological adjustment of individuals with IBD and may be useful for creating intervention strategies aimed at enhancing the psychological functioning of people with IBD.

Safety, feasibility, and short-term outcomes of laparoscopically assisted primary ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of laparoscopic resection for ileocecal Crohn's disease have been reported previously in smaller studies, suggesting its short-term advantages over open surgery. This study assessed the safety and recovery parameters in the largest, consecutive, single-institution series to date. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopically assisted primary ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease between 1994 and 2006 were identified in an institutional prospectively collected database. Operative and postoperative outcomes at 30 days were studied. RESULTS: In this study, 109 patients (35 men) with a mean age of 35 +/- 14 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 25 +/- 6 kg/m(2) were identified. The main indications for surgery were medically refractory disease (63%) and fibrous stenosis (27%). In 41% of the cases, previous abdominal surgery had been performed. The surgery had a mean duration of 150 +/- 45 min and a conversion rate of 6%. The overall 30-day morbidity rate was 11%, and the reoperation rate was 1%. The mortality rate was 0%. The median postoperative hospital stay was 4 days (range, 2-15 days). CONCLUSIONS: This series, the largest reported to date, concurs with recent metaanalyses findings that laparoscopically assisted primary ileocecal resection for Crohn's disease is safe and feasible, resulting in better short-terms outcomes than open resection. This operation is therefore the procedure of choice for Crohn's disease at our institutions.