scholarly journals DOP16 The ratio of submucosa thickness to the total bowel wall thickness can be a sonographic parameter to estimate endoscopic remission in Ulcerative Colitis

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S054-S055
Author(s):  
J Miyoshi ◽  
R Ozaki ◽  
H Yonezawa ◽  
H Mori ◽  
N Kawamura ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A less invasive examination that can estimate endoscopic remission is needed. Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) is a promising option. The bowel wall thickness (BWT) is a widely-accepted objective parameter in IUS to assess colonic inflammation, but BWT is influenced by intestinal peristalsis and the volume of luminal content. A feasible, objective index that is not affected by these factors could improve the diagnostic potential of IUS. The submucosa, which is observed as the third layer of the intestinal wall on IUS, becomes swollen and standing out in the active UC. Given BWT and submucosa thickness (SMT) can be influenced by the peristalsis and luminal content simultaneously, we hypothesized that the ratio of SMT to BWT can be an index for submucosal swelling regardless of those factors and this index can be a new parameter to estimate endoscopic remission. Methods Inclusion criteria were (1) both IUS and endoscopy (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) for UC were performed in Kyorin University Hospital between April 2019 and December 2020 and (2) time-interval between IUS and endoscopy was within 2 weeks. BWT and SMT were measured based on IUS images for ascending (A/C), transverse (T/C), descending (D/C), and sigmoid colon (S/C), respectively. We defined the submucosa index (SMI) as a percentage of SMT to BWT (Figure 1). When SMT was too thin to be measured, we scored 0 for SMI. The loss of stratification (LOS) was defined as the condition where the submucosa cannot be identified even with BWT > 3 mm (Figure 2). The parts with LOS were considered as inflamed mucosa. Mayo endoscopic subscore (MES) was scored for each part of the colon based on the endoscopic images. MES of 0/1 was defined as the endoscopic remission. Informed consent was obtained in the opt-out method. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyorin University School of Medicine (IRB No. 1668). Results In total 68 parts of the colon (A/C: 11, T/C: 12, D/C: 14, and S/C: 31) were analyzed. With ROC analysis with the Youden index, the cutoff value of BWT for endoscopic remission was 3.7 mm (AUC: 0.84). Among the parts without LOS, the cutoff value of SMI for endoscopic remission was 47.9 (AUC: 0.75). The positive predictive value for endoscopic remission of the diagnostic criteria (1) BWT ≤ 3.7 mm, (2) BWT ≤ 3.7 mm and no LOS, (3) SMI ≤ 48 (no LOS), and (4) BWT ≤ 3.7 mm, SMI ≤ 48 (no LOS) was 83.3%, 88.2%, 60.7%, and 93.3%, respectively. The negative predictive value was 88.0%, 88.2%, 90.0%, and 86.8%, respectively. Conclusion Given the feasibility and objectiveness of assessing bowel wall structure, our findings provide “proof of concept” that SMI can be an additional sonographic parameter for endoscopic remission.

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S315-S317
Author(s):  
F de Voogd ◽  
E Van Wassenaer ◽  
A Mookhoek ◽  
S Bots ◽  
S Van Gennep ◽  
...  

Abstract Background To assess disease activity in ulcerative colitis (UC) intestinal ultrasound (IUS) highly correlates with endoscopic outcomes. However, data on treatment response evaluated with IUS is limited. In this study we aim to evaluate bowel wall thickness (BWT) at follow-up to determine treatment effectiveness in moderate-severe UC patients treated with tofacitinib according to central read endoscopy and histology. Methods Patients with moderate-severe UC (endoscopic Mayo score (EMS)≥2) starting tofacitinib 10 mg bid were included. Disease activity was evaluated by recorded IUS cine-loops and video-taped endoscopies with biopsies from the sigmoid (SC) and descending colon (DC) at baseline and at 8 weeks. BWT and EMS were assessed per segment (SC and DC). Histology was scored for the SC with the Robarts Histology Index (RHI). BWT, EMS and RHI were centrally read and for IUS there was a second reader. Endoscopic remission (ERem) was defined as EMS=0, endoscopic improvement (EI) as EMS≤1 and endoscopic response (ERes) as a decrease of EMS≥1. For statistical analysis a Wilcoxon signed-rank and Spearman’s test were used. Area under the ROC was used to determine optimal cut-off values. Inter-observer agreement was analyzed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results 29 patients were included and started tofacitinib. 10% reached complete ERem after 8 weeks, respectively. Per-segment analysis for EMS showed 22% and 53% reaching ER and 40% and 60% having EI in the SC and DC, respectively. BWT in SC and DC correlated highly with the EMS (rho=0.68, rho=0.75, both p<0.0001) and moderately with RHI (rho=0.49, p=0.002). Patients with EMS≥2 after 8 weeks had an increased BWT (SC: 4.32 ± 1.57 mm, DC: 4.38 ± 1.58 mm) when compared to ERem (SC: 2.10 ± 0.67 mm, DC: mean: 2.00 ± 1.18 mm, both p<0.0001) and EI (SC: 2.29 ± 0.76 mm, DC: 2.56 ± 1.38 mm, both p<0.0001) in the similar segment (Figure 1 and 2). BWT decreased after 8 weeks when there was ERes (SC: mean: -2.59 ± 1.44 mm, DC: -1.82 ± 1.01 mm, both p=0.007) and did not when there was no ERes (Figure 3). BWT cut-off values for ERem are reported in Figure 4. Furthermore, agreement for BWT in the SC and DC was excellent (ICC: 0.92 and ICC: 0.89), respectively. Conclusion BWT reduction showed early endoscopic remission, improvement and response after 8 weeks of tofacitinib treatment and correlated with histology in this central read cohort. Furthermore, accurate and reliable cut-off values for BWT in SC and DC were found for endoscopic remission and improvement. Therefore, IUS should be incorporated in the standard follow-up and close monitoring of UC patients.


QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moataz Mohamed Sayed ◽  
Kamal El-Deen Abdelrahman El-Atrebi ◽  
Tari Magdy Aziz George ◽  
Hazem Mohamed Abd Elazim Marey

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease that merely affects the mucosa and submucosa of colon in the form of inflammatory ulcers. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for its diagnosis. For optimal monitoring of disease activity in UC patients, colonoscopy should be performed on a regular basis. However, repeated colonoscopies represent a logistic and economic challenge, as well as significant burden for the patients. Objectives Our study aimed to provide an extensive overview of the main pathologic features of gut wall vessels and bowel wall thickness at US examination of UC. Patients and Methods This prospective case control study was done on 40 patients confirmed to have UC attending to Outpatient Clinics of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology Department – Ain-Shams University from October 2018 to Augost 2019. They were divided into two groups: Relapse group: Include 20 patients with active UC disease. Remission group: Include 20 patients with inactive UC disease (in remission state). These two groups were matched with 20 healthy individuals, matched for age and gender and considered to be a control group. Disease activity was categorized according to the endoscopic Mayo score.Ultrasound and endoscopic findings were compared for each colon segment except for the rectum. Results The peak incidence of affected patients was 30–40 years of age. Female predominance compared to male with a ratio of 2.6:1. 20% of remission patients complaining from 1-2 bowel movement while 45% and 50% of relapsing patients suffer from 3-4 and 5 bowel movement respectively. 100%, 100%, 20% and 15% of relapsing patients suffer from bleeding per rectum, abdominal pain, tenesmus and urgency. Higher ESR and CRP and lower hemoglobin in relapsing compared to remission group. Furthermore, The last group has higher value of ESR and CRP and lower value of hemoglobin compared to control group. BWT was significantly thicker in relapse group (4.8±0.7 mm) than of remission (3.55±0.5 mm) compared to control group (1.6±0.5) (p value <0.001). BWT at a cut-offs > 4 mm discriminating between cases with relapse from those with remission and at a cut-offs >4 mm discriminating between mild endoscopic severity from moderate and severe UC. Furthermore, BWT at a cut-offs >4.6 mm discriminating between mild and moderate endoscopic severity from severe UC. Vascular signal number at a cut-offs >1 discriminating between cases with relapse from those with remission and at a cut-offs >2 discriminating between mild and moderate endoscopic severity of UC. Conclusion Abdominal ultrasound is a widely available non-invasive method for imaging of UC. It provides a high sensitivity, specificity and accuracy in diagnosis and monitoring of UC activity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S312-S313
Author(s):  
A Les ◽  
R Iacob ◽  
R Costache ◽  
L Gheorghe ◽  
C Gheorghe

Abstract Background Bowel ultrasonography (BUS) is an accurate imaging method for detecting and monitoring inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. This technique is recommended by current guidelines besides gold standard endoscopic assessment in managing IBD patients. Several BUS characteristics strongly correlate with biological markers of inflammation suggesting that these tests could be used in monitoring IBD patients but is yet unknown how these features predict the patient’s evolution. Methods Our study included 95 consecutive IBD patients (24 diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, 71 with Crohn’s disease) with both active and inactive disease at presentation. IBD diagnosis was established endoscopically and histologically. Patients with superimposed infection (viral or bacterial) and patients that had solely rectal involvement of the disease were excluded. BUS was conducted at baseline by one skilled examiner blinded to biological data. Biological markers were evaluated at baseline and all cases were prospectively followed-up for the need of therapy escalation during the next 6 months. The following BUS characteristics were registered in every patient: bowel wall thickness, alteration of wall structure, thickened mucosa or submucosa, presence of hyperechoic spots in the mucosal wall, irregularity of the external wall, Doppler signal, presence of mesenteric hypertrophy, presence of lymph nodes, and an overall assessment of the examination. No special preparation was needed before BUS. Results Of all the monitored sonographic features, the following characteristics correlated with the need of increasing treatment in the following 6 months: bowel wall thickness, altered structure of the wall, hypertrophic mucosa, Doppler signal, and the overall assessment of the examination (p < 0.001). The presence of the lymph nodes, hyperechoic spots in the mucosa, thickened submucosa and the irregularity of the external wall were not statistically significant correlated with the need for treatment escalation. The strongest correlation with the need for increasing treatment was documented for a mean bowel wall thickness > 5 mm and for Doppler signal presence in the bowel wall (p < 0.00001). In the multivariate analysis, Doppler signal presence was the only independent predictor for the need treatment escalation during a 6-month follow-up. Conclusion The most important sonographic features with an impact on therapeutic decision making in IBD patients are: bowel wall thickness, Doppler signal, altered stratification of the wall and mesenteric hypertrophy. In our analysis, the Doppler signal was the only independent predictor for the need for step-up therapy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S225-S226
Author(s):  
R T Wilkens ◽  
K Nylund ◽  
F Petersen ◽  
F De Voogd ◽  
C Maaser ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Intestinal ultrasonography (IUS) is a promising cross-sectional imaging modality used to assess transmural disease and complications in Crohn’s disease (CD). Although recently positioned as a first-line modality for evaluation as per ECCO guidelines, standard measurements, reproducibility and nomenclature have not yet been clearly established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter-rater agreement for parameters identified as important by experts through Delphi consensus. Methods IUS parameters demonstrating inflammatory activity were systematically reviewed in the literature and presented to IUS experts. Individual parameters were selected by a blinded Delphi consensus panel to establish relative contribution to inflammatory activity in CD. Weighted grading of each parameter was further established by expert consensus. Image acquisition for optimal measurement was established by consensus. Two phases for evaluating inter-rater variability were undertaken. Phase 1: blind review by 8 readers of 20 de-identified CD cases. Cases with poor agreement were reviewed to clarify discrepancy and improve agreement. Phase 2: an additional 30 de-identified CD cases blindly were reviewed by 12 independent expert readers. Inter-rater agreement was evaluated for all 4 key parameters. Statistics were performed using Stata 16. Bowel wall thickness (BWT) was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the ordinal parameters using weighted Cohens Kappa. Results The Delphi process reduced 12 activity parameters to 4 key contributors including BWT, color Doppler signal (CDI), inflammatory fat and bowel wall echostratification (Figure 1). BWT was regarded as pathologic if the average of 4 measurements were > 3 mm for the small and large bowel, and grades of the additional parameters established (Table 1). Bowel wall thickness was comprised of 2 measurements in cross section and 2 in longitudinal orientation (Figure 2). Interobserver agreement was almost perfect for BWT: ICC=0.91 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.96) p = 0.001, while there was moderate agreement for CDI κ=0.60 (95% CI 0.48–0.72) p = 0.001. Agreement for inflammatory fat detection was also moderate with κ= 0.50 (95% CI 0.33–0.66) p = 0.001, while stratification was fair κ= 0.39 (95% CI 0.26–0.53) p = 0.001. Conclusion This expert consensus-based IUS activity score clearly establishes the reproducibility of this standardised approach to measure inflammatory activity in patients with CD. Using our method, BWT which is known as the most important parameter, is highly reproducible with CDI and inflammatory fat demonstrating moderate reproducibility. This score may provide the foundation for the future incorporation of IUS in research studies and clinical trials.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1405-1412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Flanagan ◽  
Emily K Wright ◽  
Jakob Begun ◽  
Robert V Bryant ◽  
Yoon-Kyo An ◽  
...  

Abstract Background and Aims Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] affects women during their childbearing years. Gastrointestinal ultrasonography [GIUS] accurately identifies disease activity in non-pregnant patients with IBD. The utility of GIUS in pregnancy has not been established. We aimed to determine the feasibility and accuracy of GIUS in the assessment of IBD during pregnancy progression. Methods A multicentre observational study of women with IBD undergoing GIUS during pregnancy. Clinicians assessed the adequacy of bowel views and disease activity in four colonic segments and the terminal ileum. Location[s] in which views were impeded by the uterus were documented. GIUS disease activity [bowel wall thickness >3 mm] was compared with biochemical disease activity [faecal calprotectin >100 μg/g]. Results Ninety patients and 127 GIUS examinations were included [median gestation 19 weeks, range 4–33]. Adequate colonic views were obtained in 116/127 [91%] scans. Adequate ileal views were obtained in 62/67 [93%] scans <20 weeks and 30/51 [59%] scans at 20–26 weeks. There was a positive correlation between bowel wall thickness and calprotectin [r = 0.26, p = 0.03]. GIUS delivered a specificity of 83%, sensitivity of 74%, and negative predictive value of 90% compared with calprotectin. Conclusions GIUS is a feasible and accurate modality for monitoring IBD in pregnancy. Adequate GIUS views of the colon and terminal ileum can be obtained in the majority of patients up to 20 weeks of gestation. Beyond 20 weeks, GIUS provides good views of the colon but the terminal ileum becomes difficult to assess.


2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S325-S326
Author(s):  
A. R. Bremner ◽  
J. D. Argent ◽  
M. Griffiths ◽  
J. J. Fairhurst ◽  
R. M. Beattie

Author(s):  
Fredrik Sævik ◽  
Ragnar Eriksen ◽  
Geir Egil Eide ◽  
Odd Helge Gilja ◽  
Kim Nylund

Abstract Background and Aims To improve management of patients with Crohn’s disease, objective measurements of disease activity are needed. Ileocolonoscopy is the current reference standard but has limitations that restrict repeated use. Ultrasonography is potentially useful for activity monitoring, but no validated sonographic activity index is currently in widespread use. Thus, we aimed to construct and validate a simple ultrasound score for Crohn’s disease. Methods Forty patients were prospectively examined with ultrasound and endoscopy in the development phase. The Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn’s Disease [SES-CD] was used as a reference standard. Seven ultrasound variables [bowel wall thickness, length, colour Doppler, stenosis, fistula, stratification and fatty wrapping] were initially included, and multiple linear regression was used to select the variables that should be included in the final score. Second, the ultrasound data from each patient were re-examined for interobserver assessment using weighted kappa and intraclass correlation. Finally, the activity index was validated in a new cohort of 124 patients. Results Length, fistula and stenosis were excluded. The combination of the remaining variables provided a multiple correlation coefficient of r = 0.78. Interobserver analysis revealed poor agreement for stratification and fatty wrapping and these were thus excluded. There was excellent interobserver agreement for the remaining score consisting of wall thickness and colour Doppler. In both patient cohorts, the ultrasound score correlated well with SES-CD [Development cohort: rho = 0.83, p < 0.001, Validation cohort: rho = 0.78, p < 0.001]. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.92 and 0.88 for detecting endoscopic activity and moderate endoscopic activity, respectively. Conclusions A simple ultrasound activity index for Crohn’s disease consisting of bowel wall thickness and colour Doppler was constructed and validated and correlated well with endoscopic disease activity. ClinicalTrials. gov ID: NCT03481751


2001 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 756-761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Cartoni ◽  
Francesco Dragoni ◽  
Alessandra Micozzi ◽  
Edoardo Pescarmona ◽  
Sergio Mecarocci ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: Neutropenic enterocolitis (NE) is a severe complication of intensive chemotherapy and is barely identifiable by clinical signs alone. Ultrasonography (US) supports the diagnosis of NE by showing pathologic thickening of the bowel wall. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of the degree of mural thickening evaluated by US in patients with clinically suspected NE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Neutropenic patients with fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain after intensive chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies were studied with abdominal US. We evaluated the degree of bowel wall thickening detected by US and its correlation with the duration of the clinical syndrome as well as NE-related mortality. RESULTS: Eighty-eight (6%) of 1,450 consecutive patients treated for leukemia had clinical signs of NE. In 44 (50%) of 88 patients, US revealed pathologic wall thickening (mean ± SD, 10.2 ± 2.9 mm; range, 6 to 18). The mean duration of symptoms was significantly longer in this group (7.9 days) than among patients without mural thickening (3.8 days, P < .0001), and the NE-related mortality rate was higher (29.5% v 0%, P < .001). Patients with bowel wall thickness of more than 10 mm had a significantly higher mortality rate (60%) than did those with bowel wall thickness ≤ 10 mm (4.2%, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Symptomatic patients with sonographically detected bowel wall thickening have a poor prognosis compared with patients without this finding. In addition, mural thickness of more than 10 mm is associated with poorer outcome among patients with NE.


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