Bowel Damage in Patients With Long-term Crohn's Disease, Assessed by Magnetic Resonance Enterography and the Lémann Index

Risk of Cancer in Patients With Crohn's Disease 30 Years After Diagnosis (the IBSEN Study)

Background

Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are most often diagnosed as young adults; therefore, long-term studies are needed to assess the risk of cancer over their lifetime. Thus, the aims of the present study were to determine the risk of cancer in a Norwegian population-based cohort (the Inflammatory Bowel South Eastern Norway [IBSEN] study), 30 years after diagnosis, and to assess whether patients with CD were at an increased risk of specific cancer types.

Methods

The IBSEN cohort prospectively included all incident patients diagnosed between 1990 and 1993. Data on cancer incidence were obtained from the Cancer Registry of Norway. Overall and cancer-specific hazard ratios (HRs) for CD patients compared with age- and sex-matched controls were modeled using Cox regression. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were estimated compared to the general population.

Results

In total, the cohort included 237 patients with CD, and 36 of them were diagnosed with cancer. Compared to the general Norwegian population, patients with CD had an increased overall risk of cancer (HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.06-2.28), particularly male patients (HR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.08-3.16). The incidence of lung cancer and nonmelanoma skin cancer was increased; however, the difference was not statistically significant (SIR = 2.29, 95% CI: 0.92-4.27 and SIR = 2.45, 95% CI: 0.67-5.37, respectively).

Conclusions

After 30 years of follow-up, the risk of all cancers in patients with CD was increased compared to the general population.

Predictors of bowel damage in the long-term progression of Crohn’s disease

BACKGROUND

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder that progresses to bowel damage (BD) over time. An image-based index, the Lémann index (LI), has been developed to measure cumulative BD.

AIM

To characterize the long-term progression of BD in CD based on changes in the LI and to determine risk factors for long-term progression.

METHODS

This was a single-center longitudinal cohort study. Patients who had participated in prospective studies on the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging using endoscopy as a gold standard and who had a follow-up of at least 5 years were re-evaluated after 5-12 years.

RESULTS

Seventy-two patients were included. LI increased in 38 patients (52.8%), remained unchanged in 9 patients (12.5%), and decreased in 25 patients (34.7%). The small bowel score and surgery subscale significantly increased (P = 0.002 and P = 0.001, respectively), whereas the fistulizing subscale significantly decreased (P = 0.001). Baseline parameters associated with BD progression were ileal location (P = 0.026), CD phenotype [stricturing, fistulizing, or both (P = 0.007, P = 0.006, and P = 0.035, respectively)], disease duration > 10 years (P = 0.019), and baseline LI stricturing score (P = 0.049). No correlation was observed between BD progression and baseline clinical activity, biological markers, or severity of endoscopic lesions.

CONCLUSION

BD, as assessed by the LI, progressed in half of the patients with CD over a period of 5-12 years. The main determinants of BD progression were ileal location, stricturing/fistulizing phenotype, and disease duration.

Mortality in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Results from 30 years of follow-up in a Norwegian inception cohort (the IBSEN study)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with longstanding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at an increased risk of death compared to the general population, especially elderly patients. The Inflammatory Bowel South-Eastern Norway (IBSEN) study has previously detected a small but not statistically significant increase in mortality, 20 years after diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the overall and cause-specific mortality at 30 years of follow-up.

METHODS

The IBSEN cohort included 519 incident patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 237 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) between 1990 and 1993, each matched with five controls. Death certificate data were obtained from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. The underlying causes of death were categorised into five groups: all cancers, gastrointestinal cancers, cardiovascular diseases, infections, and all other causes. Hazard ratios (HR) were modelled using Cox regression.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the overall mortality rates. However, in patients with CD, male sex (HR = 1.65 [1.04-2.62]), onset after 40 years of age (HR = 1.72 [95% CI: 1.19-2.48]), colonic disease (HR = 1.57 [1.05-2.35]), and penetrating behavior (HR = 3.3 [1.41-7.76]) were clinical factors associated with an increased mortality. IBD patients were at a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease; HR = 1.51 [1.10-2.08] for UC and 2.04 [1.11-3.77] for CD. When taking into account both the underlying and the immediate cause of death, infection was more frequent in patients with IBD.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, all-cause mortality rates were similar between patients with IBD and controls. However, clinicians should remain alert to cardiovascular diseases and infections, particularly in specific subgroups of CD patients.

Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease: the story continues

In the 1990s, tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitor therapy ushered in the biologic therapy era for inflammatory bowel disease, leading to marked improvements in treatment options and patient outcomes. There are currently four tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors approved as treatments for ulcerative colitis and/or Crohn's disease: infliximab, adalimumab, golimumab and certolizumab pegol. Despite the clear benefits of tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors, a subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease either do not respond, experience a loss of response after initial clinical improvement or report intolerance to anti-tumour necrosis factor-α therapy. Optimizing outcomes of these agents may be achieved through earlier intervention, the use of therapeutic drug monitoring and thoughtful switching within class. To complement these approaches, evolving predictive biomarkers may help inform and optimize clinical decision making by identifying patients who might potentially benefit from an alternative treatment strategy. This review will focus on the current use of tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors in inflammatory bowel disease and the application of personalized medicine to improve future outcomes for all patients.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the management of Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a condition that can occur in any part of the gastrointestinal tract, although usually forms in the colon and terminal ileum. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become a beneficial modality in the evaluation of small bowel activity. This study reports on a systematic review and meta-analysis of magnetic resonance enterography for the prediction of CD activity and evaluation of outcomes and possible complications.

Methods

Following the PRISMA guidelines, a total of 25 low-risk studies on established CD were selected, based on a QUADAS-II score of ≥ 9.

Results

A sensitivity of 90% was revealed in a pooled analysis of the 19 studies, with heterogeneity of χ² = 81.83 and I² of 80.3%. Also, a specificity of 89% was calculated, with heterogeneity of χ² = 65.12 and I² of 70.0%.

Conclusion

It was concluded that MRI provides an effective alternative to CT enterography in the detection of small bowel activity in CD patients under supervision of radiologist for assessment of disease activity and its complications. Its advantages include the avoidance of radiation exposure and good diagnostic accuracy.

Emerging Imaging Biomarkers in Crohn Disease

ABSTRACT

In this review article, we present the latest developments in quantitative imaging biomarkers based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), applied to the diagnosis, assessment of response to therapy, and assessment of prognosis of Crohn disease. We also discuss the biomarkers' limitations and future prospects. We performed a literature search of clinical and translational research in Crohn disease using diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI-MRI), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), motility MRI, and magnetization transfer MRI, as well as emerging topics such as T1 mapping, radiomics, and artificial intelligence. These techniques are integrated in and combined with qualitative image assessment of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) examinations. Quantitative MRI biomarkers add value to MRE qualitative assessment, achieving substantial diagnostic performance (area under receiver-operating curve = 0.8-0.95). The studies reviewed show that the combination of multiple MRI sequences in a multiparametric quantitative fashion provides rich information that may help for better diagnosis, assessment of severity, prognostication, and assessment of response to biological treatment. However, the addition of quantitative sequences to MRE examinations has potential drawbacks, including increased scan time and the need for further validation before being used in therapeutic drug trials as well as the clinic.

Bowel Damage at Diagnosis Using the Lémann Index Score in Saudi Arabian Patients With Crohn's Disease

Background

Advanced bowel damage caused by Crohn’s disease (CD) in the form of strictures and penetrating lesions has been associated with future surgical resection. However, in general, the degree of bowel damage in patients with CD is not examined at the time of diagnosis, and the natural history of CD may differ phenotypically between patients from Arabic countries as compared to patients from Europe and North America. Thus, we aimed to assess the degree of structural bowel damage in Saudi Arabian CD patients at diagnosis. We used the Lémann Index (LI) score, an instrument that measures cumulative digestive tissue damage by magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) and endoscopy, to establish any possible association between the duration of symptoms and the degree of bowel damage.

Method

This retrospective study was conducted by reviewing the data of all CD patients following up at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) that were investigated by endoscopy and MRE at baseline. MRE-LI was calculated by scoring previous surgery, disease location and extension, and intestinal complications. A LI score of >2.0 was set as the cut-off point for bowel damage. Descriptive statistics were used to provide an overview of demographic and clinical characteristics, and hypothesis testing was applied to identify associations.

Result

Eighty-three patients with CD were included in this study. Fifty point six percent (50.6%) of the cohort comprised females and the median age was 27 years. With regards to CD location and extension, 34.9% showed ileal disease (L1), 9.6% showed colonic CD (L2), whereas 55.4% had ileocolonic involvement (L3). Moreover, 48.2% of patients presented with non-complicated behavior (B1), 25.3% had at least one stricture (B2), and 26.5% showed a penetrating phenotype (B3). Perianal CD was observed in 2.4% of subjects and 62.7% had undergone bowel resection. Mean LI was 2.4 (±2.6) with 34 patients (39.8%) exhibiting an LI score indicative of advanced bowel damage at the time of diagnosis. The duration of symptoms did not correlate with the degree of bowel damage according to the LI score.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of patients with CD presented with advanced bowel damage at the time of diagnosis, suggesting that a severe form of CD may be endemic in Saudi Arabia.

Bowel damage and disability in Crohn's disease: a prospective study in a tertiary referral centre of the Lémann Index and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Disability Index

BACKGROUND

The notion of Crohn's disease (CD) as a chronic, progressive and disabling condition has led to the development of new indexes: the Lémann Index measuring cumulative bowel damage and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Disability Index, assessing functional disability.

AIMS

To measure the Lémann Index and the IBD Disability Index in a large prospective cohort of CD patients and to assess the correlation between these two indexes.

METHODS

We performed a prospective study in a tertiary referral centre including all consecutive CD outpatients. We assessed the Lémann Index and the IBD Disability Index questionnaire in all patients.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty CD patients were consecutively included. The mean Lémann Index (±SD) was 11.9 ± 14.1 and ranged from 0 to 72.5 points. Factors associated with a high bowel damage score were: disease duration, anal location, previous intestinal resection, clinical and biological disease activity, exposure to immunosuppressants, and exposure to anti-TNF (P < 0.005). Among patients exposed to anti-TNF, the Lémann Index was lower in those who were exposed in the first 2 years of their disease (P = 0.015). The mean IBD Disability Index was 28.8 ± 6.3 and ranged from 0 to 71 points. The factors associated with high disability score were: female gender, anal location, extra digestive manifestations, clinical and biological disease activity and exposure to anti-TNF (P < 0.005). No correlation was observed between the Lémann Index and IBD Disability Index (P = 0.15).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to prospectively evaluate the Lémann Index and the IBD Disability Index in a large cohort of CD patients in a tertiary centre. Early introduction of anti-TNF treatment was associated with lower bowel damage scores, and no correlation was observed between the Lémann Index and the IBD Disability Index. Further dedicated prospective studies are necessary to confirm these results.

Usefulness of magnetic resonance enterography in the clinical decision-making process for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) diagnosis on clinical decision-making regarding treatment choice and maintenance of treatment over time in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

METHODS

A cohort of patients who underwent MRE for IBD assessment between 2011 and 2014 was analyzed. From clinical records, we retrospectively retrieved their demographic data and clinical data on their IBD at the time of MRE, the results of MRE and the patient's clinical course. Medical management decisions made during the three months following MRE and at the 15-month follow-up were assessed.

RESULTS

In total, 474 MREs were reviewed. In the first three-month period, MRE results led to changes in the medical management of 266 patients (56.1%). Of those, maintenance therapy was altered in 140 patients (68.3%) (90.7% step-up and 9.3% top-down strategy), 65 (24.4%) were prescribed a course of steroids and 61 (22.9%) underwent surgery. MRE confirmed a CD diagnosis in 14/41 patients (34.1%) previously diagnosed with indeterminate colitis or ulcerative colitis and in 4/18 patients (22.2%) with suspected IBD. At the 15-month follow-up, treatment remained unchanged in 289 patients (65.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that MRE is a diagnostic tool that provides valid information for the clinical-decision making process for patients with CD.

Adalimumab versus azathioprine to halt the progression of bowel damage in Crohn's disease: application of Lémann Index

Background: The Lémann Index (LI) was recently developed to evaluate the cumulative bowel damage in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).Aims: To search for a difference between adalimumab and azathioprine to halt the progression of bowel damage in active CD, using the LI.Methods: A single-centre, retrospective study was conducted. Patients with CD were included if they had colonoscopy and magnetic resonance enterography performed within 4 months from the start of adalimumab or azathioprine and repeated after 12 months of therapy. Primary outcome was reached if the increase of LI after 12 months of treatment was <0.3, the drug was not stopped, and the use of systemic steroids was continued for no more than 3 months.Results: Ninety-one patients were enrolled, 31 (34.1%) of them treated with adalimumab and 60 (65.9%) with azathioprine. Sixty-seven percent of patients treated with adalimumab reached the primary outcome compared to 28.3% of patients treated with azathioprine (p = .0006). The LI in the group on adalimumab therapy decreased after 12 months (from 9.9 to 8.8), while in the group on azathioprine therapy it increased (from 7.7 to 8.8).Conclusion: Treatment with adalimumab halts the progression of bowel damage in CD while that with azathioprine does not.

Assessment of Bowel Inflammation and Strictures by Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Long-term Crohn's Disease

BACKGROUND

Crohns disease [CD] is a chronic inflammation in the gut that often progresses to fibrosis. Magnetic resonance enterography [MRE] is an important diagnostic tool in evaluating CD. We aimed to assess the prevalence of inflammation and stricturing disease in patients with long-term CD, and to investigate associations with clinical factors.

METHODS

We performed a follow-up analysis of a population-based cohort of 237 CD patients in south-eastern Norway 20 years after diagnosis; 95 patients were examined with MRE, and the magnetic enterographic global score [MEGS] was calculated. We assessed inflammation and strictures during the follow-up. Association of the MEGS and bowel strictures with clinical variables was examined by univariate regression analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 237 patients, 62 [65.3%] had active inflammation mostly affecting the terminal ileum; 35 [36.8%] had substantial inflammation according to MEGS, which associated with inflammatory biomarkers during the follow-up; and 25 [26.3%] had stricturing disease that associated with age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.92), initial use of systemic steroids [OR = 3.36], and inflammatory biomarkers. Most patients with strictures were treated with surgery without recurrence [n = 24, 42.1%] and seven [21.2%] strictures in the terminal ileum healed without surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Twenty years after the diagnosis, the majority of patients had active inflammation, often complicated by stricturing disease. Most patients with strictures were treated with surgery without recurrence, and some strictures resolved over time. Inflammatory biomarkers, extensive and complicated disease type, and use of systemic medication associated with both inflammation and stricturing disease.

A review of magnetic resonance enterography-based indices for quantification of Crohn's disease inflammation

Magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) is a leading radiological modality in Crohn's disease (CD) and is used together with laboratory findings and endoscopic examinations for the evaluation of patients during initial diagnosis and follow up. Over the years, there has been great progress in the understanding of CD and there is a continuous strive to achieve better monitoring of patients and to develop new modalities which will predict disease course and thus help in clinical decisions making. An objective evaluation of CD using a quantification score is not a new concept and there are different clinical, endoscopies, radiological and combined indices which are used in clinical practice. Such scores are a necessity in clinical trials on CD for evaluation of disease response, however, there is no consensus of the preferred MRE score and they are not routinely used. This review presents MRE-based indices in use in the last decade: the Magnetic Resonance Index of Activity (MaRIA), the Clermont score, the Crohn's Disease Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Index (CDMI), the Magnetic Resonance Enterography Global Score (MEGS) and the Lemann index. We compare the different indices and evaluate the clinical research that utilized them. The aim of this review is to provide a reference guide for researchers and clinicians who incorporate MRE indices in their work. When devising future indices, accumulated data of the existing indices must be taken into account, as each of the current indices has its own strengths and weakness.