P640 Moderate to severe endoscopic inflammation is frequent after clinical remission in pediatric ulcerative colitis: A cause for disease extension and relapse?
C. Sarbagili Shabat1,2, D. Weiner1, J. Wardi3, L. Abramas1, M. Yaakov1, A. Levine1,2
1The E. Wolfson Medical Center, Pediatric and Gastroenterology and nutrition unit, Holon, Israel, 2Tel-Aviv University, The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv, Israel, 3The E. Wolfson Medical Center, Gastroenterology, Holon, Israel
Background
Pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterised by low sustained remission rates and frequent extension of disease even if clinical remission is obtained. Current therapy in pediatric UC is driven primarily by clinical response. Extension of disease and high relapse rates may be due to a failure to obtain mucosal healing with treatment despite clinical remission. Our aim was to evaluate this possibility by assessing endoscopic disease activity after remission was obtained.
Methods
Pediatric UC patients with clinical remission, defined as sustained PUCAI < 10 three months after remission was obtained, were prospectively assessed for mucosal healing by endoscopy. Mayo score was assessed for each segment by a blinded adult gastroenterologist using central reading.
Results
41 children were enrolled after informed consent, 7 were excluded because of a PUCAI score 10–15 at the time of sigmoidoscopy. Thirty-four Sigmoidoscopies were performed 12–20 weeks after reporting clinical remission. Mucosal healing Mayo 0 was present in 15 endoscopies (44%), Mayo 1 was present in 2 endoscopies (6%) and moderate to severe endoscopic scores Mayo 2–3 was present in 17 endoscopies (50%).
Conclusion
About 50% of children assessed for mucosal healing 3–5 months after clinical remission is obtained have residual moderate to severe inflammation. Inadequate endoscopic improvement despite clinical remission may explain disease extension and the high relapse rate in children.