Societal costs attributable to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis within the first 5 years after diagnosis: a Danish nationwide cost-of-illness study 2002-2016

Labor Market Participation and Income in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Onset Before Young Adulthood-The Role of Disease Severity and Mental Health

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Only few studies have examined the socioeconomic consequences of being diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in childhood or youth. Disease severity has been linked to lower earnings, but little attention has been paid to comorbid mental health conditions. The aim is to examine labor market participation (LMP) and income in patients with IBD onset in childhood or youth and examine how disease severity and mental health conditions affect LMP.

METHODS

In this register-based cohort study, we included patients with IBD onset before 25 years of age and matched comparators. We estimated the relative risk (RR) of having low LMP and the median yearly income from ages 26 to 30. RR of low LMP was also assessed in subgroups of patients based on disease severity (severe/nonsevere) and mental health conditions (yes/no).

RESULTS

A total of 3398 patients with IBD and 28 207 comparators were included. Overall, patients with IBD more often had low LMP (16.4% vs 14.4% in comparators), but slightly higher income (median yearly income difference at age 30: 1141 Euro [95% CI, 483-1798]). In subgroup analyses, only patients with severe IBD had a higher risk of low LMP (RR: 1.46 [95% CI, 1.23-1.72]), whereas patients with nonsevere IBD did not. Among patients with severe disease and mental health conditions, 46% had low LMP (RR: 5.03 [95% CI, 4.38-5.78]).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with IBD more often had low LMP, but their income was not affected. The subgroup of patients with severe disease and mental health conditions had the highest risk of low LMP.

Effect of Risankizumab Induction and Maintenance Therapy on the Rate of Hospitalization in Patients with Crohn's Disease

Background and Aims

In phase 3 induction (ADVANCE and MOTIVATE) and maintenance (FORTIFY) trials, risankizumab was shown to benefit symptom and endoscopic defined outcomes in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). We examined the effects of risankizumab on the incidence of CD-related hospitalizations in these studies.

Methods

Patients with active CD were randomized to intravenous (IV) risankizumab 600 or 1200 mg, or placebo at weeks 0, 4, and 8 in the 12-week induction studies. Clinical responders were rerandomized to maintenance with subcutaneous (SC) risankizumab 180 or 360 mg or placebo every 8 weeks for 52 weeks. Incidence of CD-related hospitalizations was compared between groups, expressed as proportions with an event during induction and event/100 person-years (PYs) during maintenance. An integrated analysis incorporated exposure time and occurrence of CD-related hospitalizations in induction and maintenance periods for labeled doses.

Results

The incidence of CD-related hospitalizations was lower (3.2% or 1.9% vs 11.6%; P < .01) in the risankizumab IV 600- and 1200-mg groups vs placebo IV during induction. Through 52 weeks, the incidence rate per 100 PYs of CD-related hospitalizations was similar among treatment groups, with few events reported (n = 5-9 per group). In the integrated analysis, a lower incidence rate per 100 PYs of CD-related hospitalizations was observed in the risankizumab-treated groups (600 mg IV/360 mg SC: 9.6; 600 mg IV/180 mg SC: 7.9) vs placebo (40.0, P < .001).

Conclusion

Risankizumab treatment resulted in reduced rates of CD-related hospitalization with treatment effect observed within 12 weeks of randomization.

Exploring photobiomodulation in the management of bowel diseases: a concise critical review

The complexity of the gastrointestinal system plays a crucial role in coordinating essential processes such as digestion, nutrient absorption, and waste elimination. inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) pose significant treatment challenges due to their complex aetiology and varied symptoms. Conventional therapeutic approaches often involve pharmacological interventions, which may have side effects and limited efficacy. Photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level light therapy, has emerged as a promising therapeutic or adjunctive alternative in the treatment of intestinal diseases. The search was conducted in the MEDLINE database via PubMed, SCOPUS, covering the period from 1990 to 2024. A total of 72 studies were selected, of which 9 focused on inflammatory bowel diseases IBD, including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Among these studies, 1 was clinical protocol while eight experimental. The results showed that PBM has a significant positive effect in IBD studies in rats, with reduction of intestinal inflammation, improvement of mucosal integrity, and modulation of the immune response. However, no clinical studies were found necessary to obtain results and establish effective and safe treatment protocols. Nevertheless, PBM holds potential as a non-invasive and complementary therapeutic approach for managing IBD, offering new perspectives for the treatment of chronic intestinal diseases. Therefore, this brief review emphasizes the need to transition from preclinical research to clinical research on this topic and highlights the scarcity of clinical studies.

Implication of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Diagnosed Before the Age of 18 for Achieving an Upper Secondary Education: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Educational achievement may be adversely affected by chronic conditions in childhood and adolescence. This study aimed to examine the effect of being diagnosed with IBD on achievement of an upper secondary education and the influence of disease severity and psychiatric comorbidity.

METHODS

This cohort study was based on nationwide Danish administrative registries. We compared a cohort of patients with IBD with a matched population-based cohort. The IBD cohort included patients born between 1970 and 1994 who were diagnosed with IBD (age <18 years). The outcome was achieving an upper secondary education and was analyzed using Cox regression. The impact of disease severity (expressed by surgery or corticosteroid prescriptions) or psychiatric comorbidity within the IBD cohort was assessed using Poisson regression.

RESULTS

We identified 3178 patients with IBD (Crohn's disease [CD] n = 1344, ulcerative colitis [UC] n = 1834) and matched them with 28 204 references. The hazard ratio of achieving an upper secondary education was 1.14 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.21) for CD and 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.23) for UC. In the IBD cohort, having surgery, a steroid prescription, or a comorbid psychiatric condition was associated with a lower chance of achieving an upper secondary education.

CONCLUSION

Being diagnosed with IBD before 18 years of age increased the chance of achieving an upper secondary education. However, patients with more severe disease or psychiatric comorbidity were at higher risk of not achieving an upper secondary education than patients with milder disease.

The cost of inflammatory bowel disease in high-income settings: a Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology Commission

The cost of caring for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) continues to increase worldwide. The cause is not only a steady increase in the prevalence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in both developed and newly industrialised countries, but also the chronic nature of the diseases, the need for long-term, often expensive treatments, the use of more intensive disease monitoring strategies, and the effect of the diseases on economic productivity. This Commission draws together a wide range of expertise to discuss the current costs of IBD care, the drivers of increasing costs, and how to deliver affordable care for IBD in the future. The key conclusions are that (1) increases in health-care costs must be evaluated against improved disease management and reductions in indirect costs, and (2) that overarching systems for data interoperability, registries, and big data approaches must be established for continuous assessment of effectiveness, costs, and the cost-effectiveness of care. International collaborations should be sought out to evaluate novel models of care (eg, value-based health care, including integrated health care, and participatory health-care models), as well as to improve the education and training of clinicians, patients, and policy makers.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Clinical Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment-Overview

This article is an overview of guidelines for the clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment of predominantly colonic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). This overview describes the systematically and comprehensively multidisciplinary recommendations based on the updated principles of evidence-based literature to promote the adoption of best surgical practices and research as well as patient and specialized healthcare provider education. Colonic IBD represents idiopathic, chronic, inflammatory disorders encompassing Crohn's colitis (CC) and ulcerative colitis (UC), the two unsolved medical subtypes of this condition, which present similarity in their clinical and histopathological characteristics. The standard state-of-the-art classification diagnostic steps are disease evaluation and assessment according to the Montreal classification to enable explicit communication with professionals. The signs and symptoms on first presentation are mainly connected with the anatomical localization and severity of the disease and less with the resulting diagnosis "CC" or "UC". This can clinically and histologically be non-definitive to interpret to establish criteria and is classified as indeterminate colitis (IC). Conservative surgical intervention varies depending on the disease phenotype and accessible avenues. The World Gastroenterology Organizations has, for this reason, recommended guidelines for clinical diagnosis and management. Surgical intervention is indicated when conservative treatment is ineffective (refractory), during intractable gastrointestinal hemorrhage, in obstructive gastrointestinal luminal stenosis (due to fibrotic scar tissue), or in the case of abscesses, peritonitis, or complicated fistula formation. The risk of colitis-associated colorectal cancer is realizable in IBD patients before and after restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. Therefore, endoscopic surveillance strategies, aimed at the early detection of dysplasia, are recommended. During the COVID-19 pandemic, IBD patients continued to be admitted for IBD-related surgical interventions. Virtual and phone call follow-ups reinforcing the continuity of care are recommended. There is a need for special guidelines that explore solutions to the groundwork gap in terms of access limitations to IBD care in developing countries, and the irregular representation of socioeconomic stratification needs a strategic plan for how to address this serious emerging challenge in the global pandemic.

The cost burden of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis depending on biologic treatment status - a Danish register-based study

BACKGROUND

Patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease may be treated with biologics, depending on several medical and non-medical factors. This study investigated healthcare costs and production values of patients treated with biologics.

METHODS

This national register study included patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) between 2003 and 2015, identified in the Danish National Patient Register (DNPR). Average annual healthcare costs and production values were compared for patients receiving biologic treatment or not, and for patients initiating biologic treatment within a year after diagnosis or at a later stage. Cost estimates and production values were based on charges, fees and average gross wages.

RESULTS

Twenty-six point one percent CD patients and ten point seven percent of UC patients were treated with biologics at some point in the study period. Of these, 46.4 and 45.5 % of patients initiated biologic treatment within the first year after diagnosis. CD and UC patients treated with biologics had higher average annual healthcare costs after diagnosis compared to patients not treated with biologics. CD patients receiving biologics early had lower production values both ten years before and eight years after treatment initiation, compared to patients receiving treatment later. UC patients receiving biologics early had lower average annual production values the first year after treatment initiation compared to UC patients receiving treatment later.

CONCLUSIONS

CD and UC patients receiving biologic treatment had higher average annual healthcare costs and lower average annual production values, compared to patients not receiving biologic treatment. The main healthcare costs drivers were outpatient visit costs and admission costs.

Systematic review: societal cost of illness of inflammatory bowel disease is increasing due to biologics and varies between continents

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of the cost of illness of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is essential for health policy makers worldwide.

AIM

To assess the cost of illness of IBD from the societal perspective taking into account time trends and geographical differences.

METHODS

A systematic review of all population-based studies on cost of illness of IBD published in Embase, Medline, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Methodology of included studies was assessed and costs were adjusted to 2018 US dollars.

RESULTS

Study methodologies differed considerably, with large differences in perspective, valuation method and population. For prevalent Crohn's disease (CD) cases in the last ten years annual healthcare costs were in Asia $4417 (range $1230-$31 161); Europe $12 439 ($7694-$15 807) and North America $17 495 ($14 454-$20 535). For ulcerative colitis (UC), these were $1606 ($309-$14 572), $7224 ($3228-$9779) and $13 559 ($13 559-$13 559). The main cost driver was medication, the cost of which increased considerably between 1985 and 2018, while outpatient and inpatient costs remained stable. IBD had a negative impact on work productivity. Annual costs of absenteeism for CD and UC were in Asia (with presenteeism) $5638 ($5638-$5638) and $4828 ($4828-$4828); Europe $2660 ($641-$5277) and $2394 ($651-$5992); North America $752 ($307-$1303) and $1443 ($85-$2350).

CONCLUSION

IBD societal cost of illness is increasing, driven by growing costs of medication, and varies considerably between continents. While biologic therapy was expected to decrease inpatient costs by reducing hospitalisations and surgery, these costs have not declined.

Costs of electronic health vs. standard care management of inflammatory bowel disease across three years of follow-up-a Danish register-based study

BACKGROUND

Costs of using eHealth in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management has only been assessed for short follow-up periods. The primary aim was to compare the direct costs of eHealth (cases) relative to standard care (matched controls) for IBD during three years of follow-up.

METHODS

The study design was a retrospective, registry-based follow-up study of patients diagnosed with IBD two years prior, and three years subsequent, to their enrolment in eHealth. Cases were matched 1:4 with controls receiving standard care based on diagnosis, gender, biologics (yes/no) and age (+/- 5 years).

RESULTS

We identified 116 cases (76 (66%) with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 40 (34%) with Crohn's disease (CD)) and matched them with 433 controls. IBD-related outpatient costs were only significantly higher for cases in the year of their inclusion in eHealth (€2,949 vs. €1,621 per patient, p =.01). Mean IBD-related admission costs tended to fall after enrolment in eHealth, with mean admission costs per patient at year 3 of follow-up of €74 for cases and €383 for controls (p = .02). Linear extrapolation of the reduction in costs beyond year 3 after enrolment in eHealth revealed that eHealth would be cost neutral or saving, relative to standard care, from year 4.

CONCLUSION

IBD-related outpatient costs in both groups were similar and only significantly higher for cases in the year of their enrolment in eHealth, with admission costs typically falling after a patient's inclusion in eHealth. Estimation revealed eHealth to be cost neutral or saving from year 4.

Self-monitoring with home based fecal calprotectin is associated with increased medical treatment. A randomized controlled trial on patients with inflammatory bowel disease

OBJECTIVES

Self-monitoring of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with the assistant of telemedicine and home-based fecal calprotectin (FC) tests is evolving in the management of IBD. We performed a randomized controlled trial to investigate the compliance and effects of the model IBD-Home in patients with IBD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were randomized to IBD-Home + standard care (n = 84) or standard care alone (n = 74). Intervention with IBD-Home included IBDoc^® FC test kits and a digital application used for answering symptom questionnaires (Abbvie/Telia). They were instructed to use these on demand during a 12-month period. Data was collected retrospectively from medical records. Patients who completed the intervention were phoned and asked to answer a survey about the experience of IBD-Home.

RESULTS

The compliance to IBD-Home was low (29%). Women were more compliant compared with men (43% vs 17%, p < .001). A significantly higher proportion of patients in the IBD-Home group increased their medical treatment during the study period in comparison to control subjects (33% vs 15% p = .007) and there was an association between an increase in treatment and compliance to IBD home (multivariate odds ratio 3.22; 95^th confidence interval 1.04 - 9.95). Overall patients reported a positive experience with slight technical difficulties.

CONCLUSION

Self-monitoring with home based fecal calprotectin and a digital application was found feasible and appreciated by compliers. Compliance to the IBD-Home model was more common in women and associated with an increased treatment for IBD.

The Therapeutic Effect of Shark Liver Oil in a Rat Model of Acetic Acid-Induced Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is one of the most well-known types of inflammatory bowel disease that manifests as recurrent inflammation of rectum and colon. The goal of this study is to evaluate the protective effects of shark liver oil (SLO) on acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis in rats. Eighty induced UC rats were randomly divided into ten equal groups and received the following treatments for seven days: 1 ml of normal saline rectally, 1 ml of gel base (carboxymethyl cellulose) rectally, 10 mg/kg of Asacol rectally, 10 mg/kg of mesalazine orally, 5% gel form of SLO rectally, 10% gel form of SLO rectally, 200 mg of SLO orally, and 400 mg of SLO orally. We examined the oxidative stress indices, histopathological features, and body weight changes, as well as the function of the liver and kidneys at the end of treatment. Administration of 10% rectal and 400 mg oral SLO resulted in a significant weight gain. Also, glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly higher in 5% and 10% SLO-treated groups, and elevated superoxide dismutase activity in rats that received 5% SLO was observed compared to negative control and Asacol groups. While no significant changes were observed in most of the kidney and liver function markers, higher levels of aspartate aminotransferase were detected in the group that received 400 mg SLO orally compared to negative control and Asacol groups. Many histopathological signs of improvement were observed in mesalazine, Asacol, and SLO groups. There were no significant changes detected in the mean rank among different groups. Our data indicate that SLO supplementation could improve the amelioration of acetic acid-induced UC in rats due to its antioxidant effects.

Kuijieyuan Decoction Improved Intestinal Barrier Injury of Ulcerative Colitis by Affecting TLR4-Dependent PI3K/AKT/NF-κB Oxidative and Inflammatory Signaling and Gut Microbiota

Ethnopharmacological Relevance

In Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with damp-heat, blood stasis, and intestinal vascular ischemia. Kuijieyuan decoction (KD) is a traditional Chinese medicine based on the above theory and used clinically to alleviate UC injury.

Methods

The main components of KD were analyzed by using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and confirmed by UPLC-MS/MS. A UC model was established in rats by using dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and dead rats (caused by DSS) were excluded from the study. Forty-eight rats were divided into 6 groups, health control (CG), UC model (UG), sulfasalazine (SG), low-dose KD (LG), middle-dose KD (MG), and high-dose KD (HG) groups. UC damage was assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining and scan electron microscopy. We measured Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), p-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), PI3K, p-Protein kinase B (AKT), AKT, p-nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), NF-κB, oxidative stress marker (superoxidase dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidases (GPx), and malondialdehyde) and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and IL-10) in UC tissues. Gut microbiota was analyzed through16S rRNA sequencing.

Results

The main components of KD consist of gallic acid, paeoniflorin, emodin, berberine, coptisine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, baicalein and baicalin. The UC model was successfully established by causing intestinal barrier injury with the loss of intestinal villi and destructed mitochondria of intestinal epithelial cells. Both sulfasalazine and KD treatment repaired UC injury, reduced the levels of malondialdehyde, TNFα, IL-1, IL-6, TLR4, p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-NF-κB, and increased the levels of SOD, GPx, CAT, and IL-10. KD showed a protective function for the UC model in a dose-dependent way. The serum levels of paeoniflorin and baicalin had a strong relationship with the levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. KD treatment increased the proportion of Alloprevotella, Treponema, Prevotellaceae, and Prevotella, and reduced the proportion of Escherichia_Shigella and Desulfovibrio in gut microbiota.

Conclusions

KD improved intestinal barrier injury of ulcerative colitis, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties by affecting TLR4-dependent PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling possibly through the combination of its main compounds, and improving gut microbiota.