This document provides an overview of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It discusses the spectrum of IBD, which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The pathogenesis of IBD involves genetic, environmental, immune, and microbial factors that lead to chronic gut inflammation. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation of the colon only, while Crohn's disease can impact any part of the gastrointestinal tract. The document outlines the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of both conditions, including medications like 5-aminosalicylic acid and biological therapies. It emphasizes achieving mucosal healing as the primary treatment goal for controlling symptoms and modifying the long-term course of IBD.
4. Spectrum of IBD
Ulcerative colitis Crohn’s Disease
Indeterminate colitis
Term reserved for pathologists to describe a colectomy specimen which has
overlapping features of ulcerative colitis and Crohn‘s
IBD unclassified (IBDU)
Minority of cases where a definitive distinction between UC, Crohn's
disease, or other cause of colitis cannot be made
Dignass A, et al;Definitions and diagnosis,Journal of Crohn's and Colitis(2012)
5. • Ulcerative Colitis is a chronic gastrointestinal condition which causes the inflammation of the
digestive tract.
• It is labelled as inflammatory bowel disease which occurs due to ulcerations on the inner walls of
the intestine and rectum.
• Ulcerative colitis is a painful long term condition which can cause severe distress, debilitating pain
and other complications over time. It affects an estimated It is known to graduate and worsen
over time, when left untreated.
ULCERATIVE COLITIS
6. Ulcerative Colitis
•Type of IBD
•Presentation: Bloody diarhea
•Rectal involvement
•Diffuse involvement
•Colonic disease
•Mucosal in most patients
•Associated with complications
•Medical & Surgical
17. Differentiation of ulcerative colitis from Crohn’s disease
Ulcerative colitis Crohn’s disease
Site of disease
Distribution
Colon only
Diffuse
Mucosal
Any part of GI trat
Focal (segmental)-skip areas
Transmural
Complications Fistulae/abscess or rarely Fistlae/abscess can occur
occur
Strictures appearance uncommon
Cancer risk after long ++++ Standing disease
Common
++
21. Clinical Presentation
•Rectal Bleeding: Mixed or Streaked
•Diarrhea with mucus
•Tenesmus
•Urgency
•Abdominal pain?
•Constipation?
•Weight loss, Edema, Anemia?
22. Disease activity : Truelove and Witts
Parameter Mild Moderate ‘in
between mild
and severe’
Severe
Bloody stools/day <4 4 or more ≥6
Pulse <90 bpm ≤90 bpm > 90 bpm
Temperature <37.5 °C ≤37.8 °C >37.8 °C
Haemoglobin >11.5 g/dL ≥10.5 g/dL <10.5 g/dL
ESR <20 mm/h ≤30 mm/h > 30mm/h
CRP Normal ≤30 mg/L >30 mg/L
Dignass A, et al; Definitions and diagnosis, Journal of Crohn's and Colitis(2012)
24. Score
Feature
Stool
Frequency
Rectal
Bleeding
0 1 2 3
Normal 1-2/day more
than normal
3-4/day more
than normal
5 or more than
normal
None Streaks of blood
with stool less
than half of the
time
Obvious blood
with stool most
of the time
Blood alone
passes
Mucosal
Appearance
Normal Erythema, loss
of vascular
pattern, mild
friablity
Marked
Erythema, loss
of vascular
pattern, friablity,
erosion
Spontaneous
bleeding or
ulceration
Physicians
global
assessment
Normal Mild Moderate Severe
25. Grade I:
Loss of vascular
Pattern
Erythema
Grade III:
Erosions
Ulcers
Spontaneous
bleeding
Grade II :
Friability
Petechiae
30. Crohn’s disease vs Intestinal TB
Crohns Intestinal TB
Age
Sex (M:F)
20-50 yr any age
3:1 1:3
Malabsorbtion frequent infrequent
Obstructive sx occasional
Perianal dis/fistula frequent
Ulcer/stricture long deep
multiple
frequent
rare
Transverse
small <3 cm
36. Treatment aims in IBD
•Traditional treatment goals of IBD
• Control of symptoms
• ?Improvement in quality of life
• Induction of remission
• Improvement in quality of life
• ? Reduction in complication related to inflammation
•Treatment of goals in the era of biologicals & IM
• Mucosal healing: Histological/Endoscopic
• In addition to above, change in course of disease
• Deep remission
• Dream destination – achievable for some
• Reduced risk of all complications
• Change in course of disease – Concept of DMAIDs
41. A bit of History
•1965: Placebo controlled trial of Sulfasalazine
•Active component: 5-ASA (Mesalazine)
•Azad Khan and Truelove: Retention enemas of 5-ASA
•5-ASA unstable and absorbed in small bowel
43. Management of Ulcerative Proctitis
•Rectal ASA
• Suppositories
•Add oral ASA
• Rectal steroids
•Maintain with rectal ASA
44. Remission
• Remission is defined as complete resolution of symptoms and endoscopic mucosal healing
• UCDAI <2
• Clinical practice: ‘Remission’
• Stool frequency ≤3/day with no bleeding and no urgency
• Absence of visible blood and absent mucosal friability
• 86% sensitivity
• 76% specificity
• Sigmoidoscopy to confirm mucosal healing is generally unnecessary in practice
Dignass A, et al; Definitions and diagnosis, Journal of Crohn's and Colitis(2012)
45.
46. Left -UC Management Algorithm
•5-ASA enema or foam
•Hydrocortisone enema
•Oral ASA (combination of oral and rectal)
•Oral steroid if no response
•Maintain with ASA enema ± oral ASA
47.
48. Relapse
• Relapse: Flare of symptoms in a patient with established UC who is
in clinical remission
• Spontaneously or after medical treatment
• Pattern:
• Infrequent (≤1/year)
• Frequent (≥2 relapses/ year)
• Continuous (persistent symptoms of active UC without a period
of remission)
Dignass A, et al; Definitions and diagnosis, Journal of Crohn's and Colitis(2012)
49. Steroid /Immunomodulator use
• Steroid-dependent colitis:
• Inability to reduce steroids below the equivalent of prednisolone 10 mg/day
within 3 months of starting steroids, without recurrent active disease
• Relapse within 3 months of stopping steroids
• Steroid refractory:
• Active disease despite prednisolone up to 0.75 mg/kg/day over a period of 4
weeks
• Immunomodulator refractory:
• Active disease or relapse in spite of thiopurines at an appropriate dose for at
least 3 months (Azathioprine 2–2.5 mg/kg/day or mercaptopurine 1–1.5
mg/kg/day in the absence of leucopenia)
51. Azathioprine & 6-MP
•A major limitation is the delay in the onset of action
•Requires up to 3 months before becoming fully effective
•Patients with severe disease often require colectomy before the
azathioprine has had an opportunity to exert its full effects
54. Takeaways
•ASUC: are mainstay of therapy
•ASUC : Rescue medical therapy may prevent colectomy
•ASUC: Infliximab is effective in ASUC
•Moderate to Severe UC: Adalimumab and Golimumab are also
effective
56. Role of Surgery
•Toxic megacolon
•Perforation
•Dysplasia or malignancy Intolerable adverse effects of medical Rx
•Refractory to medical Rx
•Uncontrollable bleeding
57. Therapeutic Pyramid for
Active UC
Severe
Moderate
Mild
Aminosalicylates
Surgery
Oral Steroids
AZA/6-MP
Systemic Corticosteroids
Infliximab
Cyclosporine
59. Vienna and Montreal classification for Crohn's disease
Vienna Montreal
Age at diagnosis
disease
A1 < 40 y < 16y
A2 > 40 y 17 and 40 y
A3 - > 40 y
Location
L1 ileal ileal
L2 colonic colonic
L3 ileocolonic ileocolonic
L4 upper - isolated upper
Behaviour
B1 non-stricturing, non-penetrating non-stricturing, non-penetrating
B2 stricturing stricturing
B3 penetrating penetrating
perianal disease - P
modifier
• L4 is a modifier that can be added to L1–L3 when concomitant upper gastrointestinal disease is present.
• “p” is added to B1–B3 when concomitant perianal disease is present Gut. 2006
60.
61. Phenotypes of CD patients according to
montreal
Age at diagnosis (years)
A1: ≤16 4 (15%)
A2: 17-40 20 (74%)
A3: >40 3 (11%)
Disease location
L1: ileal 3 (11%)
L2: colonic 6 (22%)
L3: ileocolonic 18 (67%)
L4: isolated upper disease (0)
Disease behaviour
B1: non-stricturing, non-penetrating 17 (63%)
B2: stricturing 4 (15%)
B3: penetrating 6 (22%)
p: peri-anal disease modifier 10 (37%) Hong Kong Med J 2007;13:436-41
66. Treatment goals
Historic goals
•Induction and maintenance of
clinical response and remission
Current evolution of Rx goals
• Improvement in quality of
life
•Steroid free remission
•Induction / maintenance of
endoscopic healing
•Reduction in hospitalization
•Reduction in surgery
67. single goal
Mucosal healing
•Increase steroid free remission
•Reduce hospitalization
•Reduce surgery need
•Change the natural history of IBD by preventing bowel
damage and disability
•Reduce the risk of neoplasia
69. Identifying the need for biologics
•Predictors for disabling disease
• Age < 40 years
• Extensive small bowel/ stricturing disease
• Perianal disease
• Smokers
• Initial need for steroid therapy
These patients may benefit from early biologics
72. Biologicals in IBD: Aims of therapy
• Induction of remission
• Maintenance of steroid-free remission
• Closure of fistulizing disease
• Minimization of complications and surgery
• Prevention of disease-related mortality
• Preservation of intestinal function
• Improvement of the quality of life of patients
• Minimization of the adverse effects of treatment
74. Take home message
•IBD is a common disorder with profound effect on morbidity
•Despite advances, a substantial number of patients are not fully
responsive to treatment or lose efficacy over time
•Recent novel therapies are under development with the target for
better disease remission