Nutritional status in perianal Crohn's disease: are we underestimating the impact?

Symptomatic perianal disease is common in patients with Crohn's disease (CD), and perianal fistulas represent the primary form of anal involvement. This type of involvement is associated with a poor prognosis and a disabling course. The treatment is challenging and involves both surgical and medical approaches. Despite combined therapy, a significant portion of patients may still require proctectomy to control the symptoms. Consequently, investigating factors that may influence the outcome of perianal disease remains a priority area of research in CD. Nutritional deficiencies are well documented among CD patients with luminal forms of involvement and are closely related to poor clinical outcomes, therapy response, and postoperative complications. As a result, leading guidelines recommend regular nutritional assessment and correction of nutritional deficiencies in patients requiring a surgical approach. Despite these recommendations and the high rate of surgeries among CD patients with perianal disease, there is a shortage of studies addressing the real impact of nutritional status on the course and outcomes of perianal disease. This knowledge gap underscores the importance of further research to understand better and improve the management of perianal CD. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of nutritional status assessment and the influence of nutritional status on the outcomes of patients with perianal CD.

ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS FOR SURGERY TREATMENT OF CROHN'S DISEASE: A HOSPITAL COHORT.

BACKGROUND: New therapies have revolutionized the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD), but in some countries, the surgery rate has not changed, the frequency of emergency surgery is underestimated, and surgical risk is poorly studied. AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and clinical indications for primary surgery in CD patients at the tertiary hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of a prospectively collected database of 107 patients with CD from 2015 to 2021. The main outcomes were the incidence of surgery treatment, types of procedures performed, surgical recurrence, surgery free time, and risk factors for surgery. RESULTS: Surgical intervention was performed in 54.2% of the patients, and most of the procedures were emergency surgeries (68.9%). The elective procedures (31.1%) were performed over 11 years after diagnosis. The main indications for surgery were ileal stricture (34.5%) and anorectal fistulas (20.7%). The most frequent procedure was enterectomy (24.1%). Recurrence surgery was most common in emergency procedures (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.6-6.6). Montreal phenotype L1 stricture behavior (RR 1.3; 95%CI 1.0-1.8, p=0.04) and perianal disease (RR 1.43; 95%CI 1.2-1.7) increased the risk of emergency surgeries. The multiple linear regression showed age at diagnosis as a risk factor for surgery (p=0.004). The study of surgery free time showed no difference in the Kaplan-Meier curve for Montreal classification (p=0.73). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for operative intervention were strictures in ileal and jejunal diseases, age at diagnosis, perianal disease, and emergency indications.

Assessment of risk factors for surgery treatment of crohn's disease: a hospital cohort / Avaliação dos fatores de risco para tratamento cirúrgico na doença de crohn: uma coorte hospitalar

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND New therapies have revolutionized the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD), but in some countries, the surgery rate has not changed, the frequency of emergency surgery is underestimated, and surgical risk is poorly studied. AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and clinical indications for primary surgery in CD patients at the tertiary hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort of a prospectively collected database of 107 patients with CD from 2015 to 2021. The main outcomes were the incidence of surgery treatment, types of procedures performed, surgical recurrence, surgery free time, and risk factors for surgery. RESULTS: Surgical intervention was performed in 54.2% of the patients, and most of the procedures were emergency surgeries (68.9%). The elective procedures (31.1%) were performed over 11 years after diagnosis. The main indications for surgery were ileal stricture (34.5%) and anorectal fistulas (20.7%). The most frequent procedure was enterectomy (24.1%). Recurrence surgery was most common in emergency procedures (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.6-6.6). Montreal phenotype L1 stricture behavior (RR 1.3; 95%CI 1.0-1.8, p=0.04) and perianal disease (RR 1.43; 95%CI 1.2-1.7) increased the risk of emergency surgeries. The multiple linear regression showed age at diagnosis as a risk factor for surgery (p=0.004). The study of surgery free time showed no difference in the Kaplan-Meier curve for Montreal classification (p=0.73). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for operative intervention were strictures in ileal and jejunal diseases, age at diagnosis, perianal disease, and emergency indications.

RESUMO RACIONAL Novas terapias revolucionaram o tratamento da Doença de Crohn, mas em alguns países a taxa de cirurgias não se modificou, a frequência de cirurgias de emergência é subestimada e o risco cirúrgico é pouco estudado. OBJETIVOS Analisar fatores de risco e as indicações para cirurgia primária em pacientes com doença de Crohn, em Hospital terciário. MÉTODOS: Análise de banco de dados coletado prospectivamente, de 107 pacientes com doença de Crohn de 2015 a 2021. Os principais desfechos foram a incidência de tratamento cirúrgico, tipos de procedimentos realizados, recidiva cirúrgica, tempo livre de cirurgia e fatores de risco. RESULTADOS: A intervenção cirúrgica foi realizada em 54.2% dos pacientes, sendo a maioria dos procedimentos cirúrgicos de urgência (68.9%). Os procedimentos eletivos (31.1%) foram realizados mais de 11 anos após o diagnóstico. As principais indicações cirúrgicas foram estenose ileal (34,5%) e fístula anorretal (20,7%), sendo o procedimento mais frequente a enterectomia (24,1%). As cirurgias para recidiva foram mais comuns em procedimentos de urgência (OR 2,1; IC95% 1,6-6,6). O fenótipo de comportamento estenosante Montreal L1 (RR = 1,3; IC 95%: 1,0-1,8, p=0,04) e a doença perianal (RR 1,43; IC95% 1,2-1,7) aumentaram o risco de cirurgias de emergência. A regressão linear múltipla mostrou a idade ao diagnóstico como fator de risco para cirurgia (p=0,004). O estudo do tempo livre de cirurgia não mostrou diferença na curva de Kaplan Meier para a classificação Montreal (p=0,73). CONCLUSÕES: Os principais fatores de risco para intervenções cirúrgicas foram estenoses em doenças ileais e jejunais, idade ao diagnóstico, doença perianal e indicações de urgência.

Accuracy of Oral 67Gallium Citrate Scintigraphy in assessment of inflammatory activity of Crohn's disease.

AIM: The main goal in Crohn´s disease (CD) is a sustained suppression of inflammatory activity associated with mucosa healing in endoscopic evaluation. During clinical routine, there are small numbers of good markers to monitor inflammatory activity under treatment. We postulated that Oral 67Gallium Citrate Scintigraphy is able to mark inflammatory disease in mucosa and deep inflammation in CD, when used in oral form. OBJECTIVE: Measure the accuracy of Oral 67Gallium Citrate Scintigraphy in intestinal inflammatory activity of Crohn´s disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a prospective consecutive cross-sectional study from January 2018 to June 2019, the ileocolonic region of 32 patients with CD were studied by dividing into four regions of interest (ROI) from the ileum to the rectum. A total of 128 intestinal segments were analyzed in cluster data. Accuracy values of Oral 67Gallium Scintigraphy and colonoscopy tests were evaluated with the histological reference test. Values of the respective receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained  and compared. The reliability between the tests was evaluated by Kappa statistical with the segment-level analyses using variance adjustments. All statistical analyses were performed with a test significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The study population included 32 patients with CD (10 men, 22 women; average age 39 years). Disease time was five years on average. Anti-TNFs treatment was found in 71%. The most found phenotype of the Montreal classification was L3. Differences in ROC curves for colonoscopy (0.94) and Oral 67Ga Scintigraphy (0.96) did not show significant value (p = 0.32). The sensitivity of scintigraphy to detect intestinal inflammatory activity in CD was 64%, specificity of 96% and accuracy of 84%. A high agreement was found between oral scintigraphy and histological measurements with kappa = 0.64. CONCLUSIONS: Oral 67Ga Scintigraphy had similar accuracy and agreement compared to colonoscopy in the identification of inflammatory activity in Crohn´s Disease. This new approach may be useful and less invasive for long term follow-ups.

Correlation and concordance measures between clinical, endoscopic and histological scores activity in Crohn's disease under treatment.

Aim: Our aim was to evaluate the correlation and concordance measures between clinical, endoscopic and histologic remission in Crohn's disease (CD) under treatment. Method: Twenty-four patients with CD under treatment were included in a prospective consecutive cross-sectional study from January to September 2018. Clinical activity was assessed by Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI). All of the patients were submitted an ileocolonoscopy with biopsy and classified by Simple Endoscopic Score (SES-CD). Histologic activity was assessed by Global Histologic Activity Score (GHAS) modified. Remission was considered with CDAI <150; SES-CD ≤2 and GHAS ≤4. Results: Clinical remission was established in 53%, however, only 50% had mucosal healing (MH) and 70% had inflammatory histologic activity. Correlation between endoscopic and histological measures was strong and positive (σ = 0.73, p < .0003). The concordance remission agreement between SES-CD and GHAS was weak with (κ) = 0.3 (IC 95%: -0.09; 0.69). The greatest disparity arose when clinical activity (CDAI) was compared with histological measures (σ = 0.20, p = .45), (κ) = 0.26 (IC = -0.03; 0.56). Conclusion: The score SES-CD correlates well with histological score GHAS in CD under treatment, however, there is low concordance between both mainly in patients with anti-TNFs treatment. CDAI score had low correlation and concordance with histological score GHAS. In this sample, patients under treatment and without symptoms had low MH and histologic healing.

Ataques isquêmicos transitórios em pacientes com síndrome da veia cava superior / Transient ischemic attacks in apatient with superio vena cava obstruction: case report

A síndrome da veia cava superior (SVCS) é condiçao relativamente rara. Relatamos o caso de um paciente de 42 anos, masculino, hipertenso há 15 anos, que evoluiu com dor cervical e torácica há um ano, sendo evidenciada oclusao de 95 por cento da coronária direita. Submetido a angioplastia, porém com persistência de dor torácica. Posteriormente evoluiu com episódios recorrentes de hemiplegia à direita associados a crises hipertensivas, que melhoravam com medicamentos anti-hipertensivos. Pela presença de coloraçao vinhosa na face e acentuaçao durante os períodos de ataques isquêmicos transitórios, foi feita a suspeita diagnóstica de provável acometimento do sistema de drenagem venosa, confirmada à venografia pelo achado de dilataçao da veia jugular direita e imagem de estreitamento importante na junçao com a veia cava superior. Em conclusao, nao foi possível definir com certeza a relaçao entre as duas patologias no caso aqui apresentado, porém chamou a atençao a melhora dos sintomas neurológicos após o controle da SVCS com o tratamento instituído.