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Introduction: Despite a growing armamentarium of medical therapies for ulcerative colitis, colectomy remains an important therapeutic option. To better inform shared decision-making about surgery, we estimated the contemporary risk of mortality after colectomy., Methods: Mortality rates were estimated using the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2020). Factors associated with postcolectomy death were evaluated in multivariable regression., Results: Postcolectomy mortality occurred in 1.2% (95% CI: 0.8%, 1.9%) of hospitalizations. Comorbidity burden, emergent laparotomy, and delays to surgery >5 days after admission were associated with mortality., Discussion: Colectomy may be associated with mortality; however, this risk is heterogeneous based on patient- and procedural-related factors., (Copyright © 2024 by The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background and Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases risk of dysplasia and colorectal cancer. Advanced endoscopic techniques allow for the detection and characterization of IBD dysplastic lesions, but specialized training is not widely available. We aimed to develop and validate an online training platform to improve the detection and characterization of colonic lesions in IBD: OPtical diagnosis Training to Improve dysplasia Characterization in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (OPTIC-IBD)., Methods: We designed a web-based learning module that includes surveillance principles, optical diagnostic methods, approach to characterization, and classifications of colonic lesions using still images and videos. We invited gastroenterologists from Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom with a wide range of experience. Participants reviewed 24 educational videos of IBD colonic lesions, predicted histology, and rated their confidence. The primary endpoint was to improve accuracy in detecting dysplastic lesions after training on the platform. Furthermore, participants were randomized 1:1 to get additional training or not, with a final assessment occurring after 60 days. Diagnostic performance for dysplasia and rater confidence were measured., Results: A total of 117 participants completed the study and were assessed for the primary endpoint. Diagnostic accuracy improved from 70.8% to 75.0% (P = .002) after training, with the greatest improvements seen in less experienced endoscopists. Improvements in both accuracy and confidence were sustained after 2 months of assessment, although the group randomized to receive additional training did not improve further. Similarly, participants' confidence in characterizing lesions significantly improved between before and after the course (P < .001), and it was sustained after 2 months of assessment., Conclusions: The OPTIC-IBD training module demonstrated that an online platform could improve participants' accuracy and confidence in the optical diagnosis of dysplasia in patients with IBD. The training platform can be widely available and improve endoscopic care for people with IBD. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT04924543.)., Competing Interests: Disclosure All authors disclosed no financial relationships. The study was supported by a grant from GutsUK (TRN2019-03)., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require accessible, timely, and noninvasive strategies to monitor disease. The aim was to assess the integration of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) on decision-making and endoscopy utilization in a standardized care pathway., Methods: This prospective, multicenter, international, observational cohort study included patients seen within a centralized model for IBD care was conducted during the COVID pandemic. Patients were evaluated with IUS alone or in combination with an in-clinic, unsedated sigmoidoscopy. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and imaging data, clinical decisions, and need for urgent endoscopy, hospitalization, and surgeries were recorded., Results: Of the 158 patients included, the majority had an established diagnosis of Crohn's disease ( n  = 123, 78%), and 47% ( n  = 75) of patients were on biologic therapy. IUS identified active inflammation in 65% ( n  = 102) of patients, and strictures in 14% ( n  = 22). Fecal calprotectin levels correlated with inflammation detected on IUS (median of 50 μg/g [Q1-Q3: 26-107 μg/g] without inflammation and 270 μg/g [Q1-Q3: 61-556 μg/g] with inflammation; p  = 0.0271). In the majority of patients, clinical assessment with IUS led to an acute change in IBD-specific medications (57%, n  = 90) and avoided or delayed the need for urgent endoscopy (85%, n  = 134). Four patients were referred for urgent surgical consultation., Conclusions: Point-of-care IUS used in a flare clinic pathway is a useful strategy to improve effective IBD care delivery and to assist in therapeutic management decisions, in many cases avoiding the acute need for endoscopy., Competing Interests: K.L.N. reports advisory board fees from AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, Ferring; speaker’s fees from AbbVie, Janssen; and research support from AbbVie, Janssen. J.S., H.K., and J.H. report no conflicts. M.D. reports fees for participation on advisory committees from Amgen, Fresenius Kabi, Pendopharm, and Takeda; fees for participation on advisory committees from Bristol Myers Squibb, McKesson, Pendopharm, and Takeda; educational, clinical, or research grants from Abbvie, Amgen, Organon, Pfizer, Sandoz, and Takeda. T.M.G. reports support through provision of an Australian Government research training program scholarship and grant support from Janssen. R.J.M.I. reports travel support from AbbVie and speaker’s fees from Takeda. R.V.B. reports Grant/Research support/Speaker fees (all paid to employer for research support): AbbVie, Ferring, Janssen, Shire, Takeda, Emerge Health; shareholder in Biomebank. B.C. has served as a consultant and advisory board member, and received grants from AbbVie, Ferring, Janssen, Pfizer, Fresenius Kabi, Falk Pharama, Gilead, Celgene, and Takeda. R.V. has served as a consultant for Janssen. A.A.-A. was funded by scholarships from Crohn’s and Colitis Australia, Avant, the Australian Commonwealth Government, and University of Melbourne and received grants from the Gastroenterological Society of Australia/Celltrion Healthcare and Janssen. D.C. reports speaker’s fees and/or research support from Takeda, Janssen, Abbvie, and Tarp and consultancy fees from Takeda, Abbvie, and Taro. C.L. reports consulting or advisory board fees from AbbVie, Ferring, Janssen, and Takeda. C.M. reports consulting or advisory board fees from AbbVie, AVIR Pharma Inc, Janssen, Takeda, Pfizer, Roche, and Robarts Clinical Trials Inc.; speaker’s fees from AbbVie, Janssen, Takeda, and Pfizer., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.)

Introduction: We determined adverse events after 4 doses of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine in those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), associations between antibodies and injection site reactions (ISR), and risk of IBD flare., Methods: Individuals with IBD were interviewed for adverse events to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Multivariable linear regression assessed the association between antibody titers and ISR., Results: Severe adverse events occurred in 0.03%. ISR were significantly associated with antibody levels after the fourth dose (geometric mean ratio = 2.56; 95% confidence interval 1.18-5.57). No cases of IBD flare occurred., Discussion: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are safe for those with IBD. ISR after the fourth dose may indicate increased antibodies., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Diet influences the pathogenesis and clinical course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Mediterranean diet (MD) is linked to reductions in inflammatory biomarkers and alterations in microbial taxa and metabolites associated with health. We aimed to identify features of the gut microbiome that mediate the relationship between the MD and fecal calprotectin (FCP) in ulcerative colitis (UC). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify modules of co-abundant microbial taxa and metabolites correlated with the MD and FCP. The features considered were gut microbial taxa, serum metabolites, dietary components, short-chain fatty acid and bile acid profiles in participants that experienced an increase ( n = 13) or decrease in FCP ( n = 16) over eight weeks. WGCNA revealed ten modules containing sixteen key features that acted as key mediators between the MD and FCP. Three taxa ( Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Dorea longicatena, Roseburia inulinivorans ) and a cluster of four metabolites (benzyl alcohol, 3-hydroxyphenylacetate, 3-4-hydroxyphenylacetate and phenylacetate) demonstrated a strong mediating effect (ACME: -1.23, p = 0.004). This study identified a novel association between diet, inflammation and the gut microbiome, providing new insights into the underlying mechanisms of how a MD may influence IBD. See clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04474561).

Background: Behavioral symptoms, including mood disorders, substantially impact the quality of life of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), even when clinical remission is achieved. Here, we used multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine if IBD is associated with changes in the structure and function of deep gray matter brain regions that regulate and integrate emotional, cognitive, and stress responses., Methods: Thirty-five patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) and 32 healthy controls underwent 3 Tesla MRIs to assess volume, neural activity, functional connection strength (connectivity), inflammation, and neurodegeneration of key deep gray matter brain regions (thalamus, caudate, pallidum, putamen, amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus) involved in emotional, cognitive and stress processing. Associations with sex, presence of pain, disease activity, and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration were examined., Results: Significantly increased activity and functional connectivity were observed in cognitive and emotional processing brain regions, including parts of the limbic system, basal ganglia, and hypothalamus of IBD patients compared with healthy controls. Inflammatory bowel disease patients exhibited significantly increased volumes of the amygdala and hypothalamus, as well as evidence of neurodegeneration in the putamen and pallidum. Hippocampal neural activity was increased in IBD patients with active disease. The volume of the thalamus was positively correlated with CRP concentration and was increased in females experiencing pain., Conclusions: Patients with IBD exhibit functional and structural changes in the limbic and striatal systems. These changes may be targets for assessing or predicting the response to therapeutic interventions aimed at improving comorbid emotional and cognitive symptoms., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has reduced access to endoscopy and imaging. Safe alternatives, available at the bedside, are needed for accurate, non-invasive strategies to evaluate disease activity. The aim of this study is to establish the impact of clinic-based bedside intestinal ultrasound (IUS) on decision making, reduction in reliance on endoscopy and short-term healthcare utilization., Methods: We conducted a prospective observational evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic, of the impact of a regional comprehensive care pathway to manage IBD patients consecutively recruited with acute symptoms, or suspected new diagnosis of IBD. Clinic-based access to sigmoidoscopy and bedside intestinal ultrasound were evaluated, used to direct clinical care and avoid hospitalization or hospital-based endoscopy., Results: A total of 72 patients were seen between March 15 and June 30, 2020. Of these, 57% (41/72) were female, 64% had Crohn's disease (46/72) with 14% (10/72) presenting with symptoms requiring investigation, of which 5 new cases of IBD were identified (50%). Immediate access to ultrasound and sigmoidoscopy led to meaningful changes in management in 80.5% (58/72) of patients. Active inflammation was detected by IUS alone (72.5%, 29/40) or in combination with in-clinic sigmoidoscopy (78%, 18/23) or sigmoidoscopy alone (78% 7/9). Six patients were referred to colorectal surgery for urgent surgical intervention including two patients admitted directly., Conclusion: Implementation of IUS as part of a clinical care pathway during the COVID-19 pandemic is a useful strategy to enhance care delivery and improve clinical decisions, while sparing other important acute care resources., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology.)

Inflammatory bowel diseases, principally Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are multifactorial chronic conditions. Alterations in gut microbial patterns partly affect disease onset and severity. Moreover, the evolution of dietary patterns, and their effect on gut microbial behaviour, have been shown to play a crucial role in disease processes. This Viewpoint reviews the role of dietary patterns, their influence on the structure and function of the gut microbiome, and their effects on inflammation and immunity in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease. We also discuss innovative dietary intervention strategies, summarise findings that have been used to develop recommendations for clinical practice, and provide suggestions for the design of future studies for development of precision nutrition in patients with inflammatory bowel disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests SCN declares being a board member and speaker for Pfizer, Ferring, Janssen, and AbbVie; and speaker at Tillotts, Menarini, and Takeda. GGK has received honoraria for speaking or consultancy from AbbVie, Janssen, Pfizer, and Takeda; he has received research support from Ferring, Janssen, AbbVie, GlaxoSmith Kline, Merck, and Shire; he has been a consultant for Gilead; he shares ownership of a patent (WO2019046959A1. PCT/CA2018/051098). SG reports grants and personal fees from AbbVie; personal fees from Janssen, Takeda, Pfizer, Gilead, Galapagos, Boehringer Ingelheim, BMS, and Celltrion; and grants from GSK, outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With the increasing global prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases, research in this field is expanding to better understand the multifactorial etiologies of this complex disease. Nutrition and diet, as modifiable risk factors, have been shown to play an important role in disease activity and prognosis. This article reviews the role of nutrition in inflammatory bowel disease, including appropriate nutrition screening in this at-risk population, and associated micronutrient deficiencies. We provide recommendations on dosing supplementation. We briefly review diet as a risk factor for inflammatory bowel disease and the currently proposed published dietary intervention studies., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy of vedolizumab in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Further real-world data is needed to inform clinical practice. The primary outcome was to assess corticosteroid-free and clinical remission after vedolizumab initiation. Secondary outcomes included effect on disease activity scores, biochemical markers, concomitant drug use, endoscopic remission, surgical intervention, hospital admissions and adverse events., Materials and Methods: A multi-centre retrospective observational study was conducted with patients initiated on vedolizumab across seven UK hospitals 1/11/14-30/11/16. Clinical disease activity was assessed using the partial Mayo Scores (pMS) and Harvey Bradshaw Index (HBI). Clinical remission was defined as HBI ≤4 or pMS <2 with a combined stool frequency and rectal bleeding sub score of ≤1. Clinical response was defined as ≥2-point decrease from baseline in pMS and ≥3-point decrease from baseline in HBI., Results: One hundred ninety-two patients were included in the final analysis. 45% of UC and 10% of CD patients were anti-TNF naive. Over the observation period corticosteroid-free remission rates for UC and CD were 46% and 45%, while clinical remission rates were 52% and 44%, respectively. Time to corticosteroid free remission for UC and CD was 17.6 [IQR: 8.7-29.6] and 14.1 [QR: 6.0-21.7] weeks, respectively. Time to clinical response for UC was 9.4 [IQR: 5.7-15.4] and CD was 9.5 [IQR: 6.1-18.2] weeks. There was a substantial decrease in the concomitant use of immunomodulators and a similar decrease in concomitant corticosteroid use over the study period., Conclusions: Results in this predominately anti-TNF experienced population mirror other published real-world data, demonstrating good clinical effectiveness and a comparable safety profile.

The association between poor paternal diet, perturbed embryonic development, and adult offspring ill health represents a new focus for the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease hypothesis. However, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains ill-defined. We have developed a mouse paternal low-protein diet (LPD) model to determine its impact on semen quality, maternal uterine physiology, and adult offspring health. We observed that sperm from LPD-fed male mice displayed global hypomethylation associated with reduced testicular expression of DNA methylation and folate-cycle regulators compared with normal protein diet (NPD) fed males. Furthermore, females mated with LPD males display blunted preimplantation uterine immunological, cell signaling, and vascular remodeling responses compared to controls. These data indicate paternal diet impacts on offspring health through both sperm genomic (epigenetic) and seminal plasma (maternal uterine environment) mechanisms. Extending our model, we defined sperm- and seminal plasma-specific effects on offspring health by combining artificial insemination with vasectomized male mating of dietary-manipulated males. All offspring derived from LPD sperm and/or seminal plasma became heavier with increased adiposity, glucose intolerance, perturbed hepatic gene expression symptomatic of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and altered gut bacterial profiles. These data provide insight into programming mechanisms linking poor paternal diet with semen quality and offspring health., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.)