Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Clinical Remission: What Should We Look For?

Impact of Depression on Health-Related Quality of Life in Ulcerative Colitis Patients-Are We Doing Enough? A Single Tertiary Center Experience

Ulcerative colitis (UC) significantly impacts patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to evaluate HRQOL and the factors affecting it, and the prevalence of anxiety, depression and alexythimia in patients with UC. This cross-sectional study included 248 UC patients (21 with proctitis, 63 with left-sided UC and 164 with extensive colitis). Data were collected using standardized self-administered questionnaires [a socio-demographic questionnaire, General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ)]. Clinical data on remission status, extraintestinal manifestations, comorbidities and the use of advanced therapies were also collected. Hierarchical regression analysis of variables predicting SIBDQ score was done. Clinical and laboratory remission was present in 95.6% of the patients. The prevalences of depression, anxiety and alexithymia were 44.7%, 34.3% and 30.2%, respectively. There were no differences in the PHQ-9, GAD-7 and TAS-20 scores in relation to remission status. The average SIBDQ score was 56.5. The patients in remission reported better SIBDQ scores compared to the symptomatic patients (p = 0.002). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that remission of disease and a higher depression score influenced HRQOL in the UC patients. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and alexithymia in the UC patients was high. Remission of disease and a high depression score were the main factors related to HRQOL.

Quality of life and burden of disease in a Mexican population with inflammatory bowel disease: an analysis of the RISE-MX trial

Background

Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that have a negative impact on patient quality of life (QOL).

Objective

To evaluate QOL, work productivity, use of healthcare resources, and medical costs in patients with IBD from the RISE-MX trial.

Design

RISE-MX was a non-interventional, multicentric, cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted in a Mexican population with IBD.

Methods

The 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) were used to assess QOL. The burden of disease was analyzed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI), healthcare resources use, and medical costs.

Results

Of 326 subjects, 95 (29.1%) had CD, and 231 (70.8%) had UC. In patients with CD, 43 patients (45.3%) showed moderate-to-severe activity, and 42 (18.1%) had moderate-to-severe disease activity in patients with UC. In all SF-36 dimensions, a significant difference between moderate-to-severe and mild activity/in remission groups was observed in patients with UC, while in patients with CD, the difference between activity groups was significant only for physical functioning and social functioning dimensions. In patients with CD, a higher but non-significant IBDQ score difference between activity groups was observed while a statistical difference between activity groups was observed for all dimensions in UC patients. In WPAI, the total percentage for work impairment (absenteeism plus presenteeism) and the percentage of regular daily activity impairment were statistically significant between activity groups only for UC. The annual total costs (direct and indirect) per patient in CD were USD 19,757 (moderate-to-severe activity group) and USD 12,587 (mild activity/in remission group), while in patients with UC were USD 11,702 and USD 9144, respectively.

Conclusion

Moderate-to-severe activity of disease was associated with a substantial impact on QOL, work productivity, and medical costs in Mexican patients with IBD. Total costs were higher for patients with CD than for patients with UC.

Marine Algae and Deriving Biomolecules for the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Potential Clinical Therapeutics to Decrease Gut Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers?

The term "inflammatory bowel disease" (IBD) describes a class of relapse-remitting conditions that affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Among these, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two of the most globally prevalent and debilitating conditions. Several articles have brought attention to the significant role that inflammation and oxidative stress cooperatively play in the development of IBD, offering a different viewpoint both on its etiopathogenesis and on strategies for the effective treatment of these conditions. Marine ecosystems may be a significant source of physiologically active substances, supporting the search for new potential clinical therapeutics. Based on this evidence, this review aims to comprehensively evaluate the activity of marine algae and deriving biomolecules in decreasing pathological features of CD and UC. To match this purpose, a deep search of the literature on PubMed (MEDLINE) and Google Scholar was performed to highlight primary biological mechanisms, the modulation of inflammatory and oxidative stress biochemical parameters, and potential clinical benefits deriving from marine species. From our findings, both macroalgae and microalgae have shown potential as therapeutic solutions for IBD due to their bioactive compounds and their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities which are capable of modulating markers such as cytokines, the NF-κB pathway, reactive oxidative and nitrosative species (ROS and RNS), trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), lactoferrin, SIRT1, etc. However, while we found promising preclinical evidence, more extensive and long-term clinical studies are necessary to establish the efficacy and safety of marine algae for IBD treatment.

Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Younger Persons With a Fecal Ostomy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in persons aged 18 to 40 years living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and a fecal ostomy.

DESIGN

Descriptive cross-sectional study.

SUBJECTS AND SETTING

The sample comprised 98 participants recruited from online discussion boards/support groups for individuals living with IBD and an intestinal ostomy. More than three-quarters (76.5%) were female; 45.9% (n = 44) had lived with an ostomy for 2 years or less. Data were collected through an online survey made available from October 2018 to December 2018.

METHODS

HRQOL was measured using the Healthy Days Core Module (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HRQOL-4). Item 1 from the CDC HRQOL-4 represented the variable self-rated health (SRH). The subscales of bodily pain, general mental health, and vitality from the Short-Form 36 Health Survey and the subscales of ostomy function and body image/sexuality plus skin irritation item from the Young-Fadok Stoma Quality of Life (QOL) Scale were used to measure predictors of pain, psychological distress, fatigue, peristomal skin irritation, leakage of ostomy appliance, and body image/sexual disturbance. Correlational and hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to complete hypotheses testing.

RESULTS

Significant correlations were found between pain, fatigue, peristomal skin problems, psychological distress, SRH, and HRQOL. Pain, fatigue, psychological distress, and self-related health explained 53.2% of the variance in HRQOL based on hierarchical multiple linear regression and controlling for demographic variables such as marital and employment status.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest global disease symptoms of IBD in the form of pain, fatigue, and psychological distress and individual perception of health (SRH) are more important than transient ostomy symptoms of peristomal skin complications and leakage of ostomy appliance in predicting HRQOL. Individuals in this population regularly use online resources indicating a need to understand and gain insight into the information posted online in the management of the fecal ostomy and IBD.

Noise is a Risk Factor for Patients with Ulcerative Colitis and Anxiety

BACKGROUND

This work aimed to explore anxiety-associated risk factors in patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS

Clinical data from patients diagnosed with UC and hospitalized at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between May 2019 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 260 patients were included and divided into UC with anxiety (n = 86) and UC without anxiety (n = 174) groups according to the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale score. The quality of life and disease activity in patients with UC were assessed using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire and Mayo Score, respectively. Clinical data, disease characteristics, quality of life, disease activity, and noise exposure were compared between the groups, and factors contributing to anxiety in patients with UC were explored through multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of disease duration (P = 0.73), distribution of disease (P = 0.86), or medication use (P = 0.86). However, compared to UC patients without anxiety, those with anxiety were older (P < 0.05), predominantly female (P < 0.05), had lower quality of life (P < 0.05), experienced higher disease activity (P < 0.05), and had greater noise exposure (P < 0.05). The quality of life [odds ratio (OR) = 0.558, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.348-0.895, P = 0.02] was a protective factor for anxiety in patients with UC. Disease activity (OR = 1.680, 95% CI = 1.103-2.561, P = 0.02) and noise exposure (OR = 2.148, 95% CI = 1.084-4.106, P = 0.01) were significant risk factors for anxiety in patients with UC.

CONCLUSION

Noise exposure and disease activity were associated with an increased risk of anxiety in patients with UC, whereas higher quality of life was protective against anxiety in UC patients.

Golimumab improves health-related quality of life of patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis: Results of the go-care study

BACKGROUND

In recent years, improvement of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in Ulcerative colitis (UC) has become a relevant measure for treatment efficacy.

METHODS

We report results from a multicenter prospective study in Italy investigating HRQoL in adult patients with UC treated with golimumab (GLM). Patients who had shown clinical response after a 6-week induction phase (w0), were followed for an additional 48 weeks (w48) (total 54-week treatment).

RESULTS

Of the 159 patients enrolled 90 completed the study. Compared to values at the beginning of treatment (n = 137), significant improvements were observed for mean total Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ) scores at w0 (168.5) and w48 (181.7). Patients with baseline PMS above the median tended to have greater improvements in IBDQ at w0 (OR 2.037, p = 0.033) and w48 (OR 3.292, p = 0.027). Compared to beginning of GLM treatment, the mean Full Mayo Score (FMS) decreased by 5.9 points at w48, while mean Partial Mayo Score (PMS) decreased by 3.9 points at w0 and by 4.9 points at w48.

CONCLUSIONS

GLM improved HRQoL, disease activity and inflammatory biomarkers in UC patients with moderate-to-severely active disease. The greater the burden of disease activity at baseline, the greater the improvement of HRQoL after 24 and 48 weeks of treatment.

Fatigue-Related Changes of Daily Function: Most Promising Measures for the Digital Age

Background

Fatigue is a prominent symptom in many diseases and is strongly associated with impaired daily function. The measurement of daily function is currently almost always done with questionnaires, which are subjective and imprecise. With the recent advances of digital wearable technologies, novel approaches to evaluate daily function quantitatively and objectively in real-life conditions are increasingly possible. This also creates new possibilities to measure fatigue-related changes of daily function using such technologies.

Summary

This review examines which digitally assessable parameters in immune-mediated inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases may have the greatest potential to reflect fatigue-related changes of daily function.

Key Messages

Results of a standardized analysis of the literature reporting about perception-, capacity-, and performance-evaluating assessment tools indicate that changes of the following parameters: physical activity, independence of daily living, social participation, working life, mental status, cognitive and aerobic capacity, and supervised and unsupervised mobility performance have the highest potential to reflect fatigue-related changes of daily function. These parameters thus hold the greatest potential for quantitatively measuring fatigue in representative diseases in real-life conditions, e.g., with digital wearable technologies. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is a new approach to analysing evidence for the design of performance-based digital assessment protocols in human research, which may stimulate further systematic research in this area.