Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a heterogeneous chronic inflammatory condition requiring significant healthcare expenditure. Subgroups of individuals contribute disproportionately to spending. We aimed to determine demographic and clinical factors predictive of high healthcare expenditures for IBD patients followed over a multiyear period. Methods This was a registry analysis using a prospective observational, consented, natural history registry from a tertiary IBD center and associated medical charges, not including pharmacy expenses. The 100 patients with the highest medical charges (top 5%) were compared to the median 300 patients. Logistic regression determined demographic and clinical factors associated with high charge patients. Results IBD patients in the high charge group had significantly more unemployment (p<0.0001), black race (p=0.013), comorbid psychiatric illness (p=0.002), hypertension (p=0.01), diabetes (p=0.004), opiate use (p<0.0001), perianal involvement (p=0.002), penetrating disease (p<0.0001), and extensive colitis (p=0.01). In multivariate analysis unemployment (CD: OR 3.04; 95% CI 1.32–7.02; UC: OR 2.68; 95% CI 1.20–5.99), psychiatric illness (UC: OR 2.08; 95% CI 1.03–4.19), opiates (CD: OR 5.61; 95% CI 2.67–11.82; UC: OR 5.14; 95% CI 2.52–10.48), prior surgery (CD: OR 3.29; 95% CI 1.59–6.82; UC: OR 2.72; 95% CI 1.39–5.32), penetrating CD (OR 3.29; 95% CI 1.02–10.62), and corticosteroid requirement (CD: OR 3.78; 95% CI 1.86–7.65; UC: OR 2.98; 95% CI 1.51–5.90) remained independently associated with high charges. Conclusion High expenditure IBD patients were affected by more severe disease. The high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and chronic pain in these patients suggests the need for focused treatment of these comorbidities ultimately to reduce financial burden.

This multi-year study of a large IBD cohort suggests that peripheral blood eosinophilia represents a biomarker of a distinct IBD subgroup, with a unique inflammatory signature, and at risk for worse clinical outcomes.

At 2 years postoperatively, CD patients with ETEA demonstrated better QoL and less healthcare utilization compared with STSA, despite having similar patterns of disease recurrence and CD treatment. These findings suggest that surgical reconstruction of the bowel as an intact tube (ETEA) contribute to improved functional and clinical status in patients with CD.

Two-thirds of patients with CD in clinical remission, while demonstrating elevated CRP, will develop bowel damage over the ensuing years, despite feeling well. These patients with silent CD are an "at-risk" group who warrant further investigation to prevent development of disease-related complications.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with alterations of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Monocytes respond to inflammation and infection, yet the relationship between monocytosis and IBD severity is not fully understood. We aimed to characterize the prevalence of monocytosis in IBD and the association between monocytosis and disease severity and IBD-related health care utilization. Methods We used a multiyear, prospectively collected natural history registry to compare patients with IBD with monocytosis to those without monocytosis, among all patients and by disease type. Results A total of 1290 patients with IBD (64.1% with Crohn disease; 35.9% with ulcerative colitis) were included (mean age 46.4 years; 52.6% female). Monocytosis was found in 399 (30.9%) of patients with IBD (29.3% with Crohn disease; 33.9% with ulcerative colitis). Monocytosis was significantly associated with abnormal C-reactive protein level and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anemia, worse quality of life, active disease, and increased exposure to biologics (all P &lt; 0.001). Compared with patients without monocytosis, patients with monocytosis had a 3-fold increase in annual financial health care charges (median: $127,013 vs. $32,925, P &lt; 0.001) and an increased likelihood of hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 4.5; P &lt; 0.001), IBD-related surgery (AOR, 1.9; P = 0.002), and emergency department (ED) use (AOR, 2.8; P &lt; 0.001). Patients with monocytosis had a shorter time to surgery, hospitalization, and ED visit after stratifying by disease activity (all P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions Patients with IBD with monocytosis, regardless of disease type, are at increased risk for worse clinical outcomes, hospitalization, surgery, and ED use. Peripheral monocytosis may represent a routinely available biomarker of a distinct subgroup with severe disease.

Background Given the rising prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and the limited data on its effect on the course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), we characterized multiyear patterns of disease severity in a cohort of IBD patients with coexistent DM. Methods Data of consented IBD patients followed prospectively in a natural history registry at a tertiary center between 2009 and 2017 were analyzed. Patients with ≥3 years of clinical follow-up were included. Patients identified with a diagnosis of DM were compared with 400 consecutive IBD controls without a diagnosis of DM, no laboratory evidence of hyperglycemia, and no history of antihyperglycemic treatment. Results Out of 2810 IBD patients, 141 (5%) had DM (IBD DM; 44% ulcerative colitis, 56% Crohn’s disease, 48.2% female). IBD DM had higher use of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5ASA) agents (P = 0.04), narcotics (P &lt; 0.001), and antibiotics (P = 0.007) but not immunomodulators and/or biologics compared with IBD controls. When analyzing biomarkers of severity, IBD DM demonstrated higher frequencies of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP; P = 0.006), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; P = 0.001), eosinophilia (P = 0.004), monocytosis (P = 0.02), and hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.001). IBD DM had worse quality of life (mean Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire; P &lt; 0.001). IBD DM had increased health care utilization compared with controls (emergency room usage P = 0.008, hospitalizations P &lt; 0.001, gastroenterology clinic visits P &lt; 0.001, and median annual charges P &lt; 0.001). Among IBD DM patients, the use of immunomodulators and/or biologics was not associated with further complications as measured by antibiotic use or hospitalizations. Conclusions This study of a large IBD cohort suggests that DM in IBD may be associated with increased disease severity and that there may be room for increasing use of highly effective immunomodulator and/or biologic agents in this group.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a heterogeneous collection of chronic inflammatory disorders of the digestive tract. Clinical, genetic, and pathological heterogeneity makes it increasingly difficult to translate efficacy studies into real-world practice. Our objective was to develop a comprehensive natural history registry derived from multi-year observational data to facilitate effectiveness and clinical phenotypic research in IBD. Methods A longitudinal, consented registry with prospectively collected data was developed at UPMC. All adult IBD patients receiving care at the tertiary care center of UPMC are eligible for enrollment. Detailed data in the electronic health record are accessible for registry research purposes. Data are exported directly from the electronic health record and temporally organized for research. Results To date, there are over 2565 patients participating in the IBD research registry. All patients have demographic data, clinical disease characteristics, and disease course data including healthcare utilization, laboratory values, health-related questionnaires quantifying disease activity and quality of life, and analytical information on treatment, temporally organized for 6 years (2009–2015). The data have resulted in a detailed definition of clinical phenotypes suitable for association studies with parameters of disease outcomes and treatment response. We have established the infrastructure required to examine the effectiveness of treatment and disease course in the real-world setting of IBD. Conclusions The IBD research registry offers a unique opportunity to investigate clinical research questions regarding the natural course of the disease, phenotype association studies, effectiveness of treatment, and quality of care research.

Objective Misuse of over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications among children is a growing public health and medication safety problem. Serious games are increasingly being used to foster healthy self‐management behaviours and decision‐making among children. We developed and pilot‐tested using a serious game to educate children about OTC medication safety. Methods Students (aged 15–17) at a public school serving grades 6–12 in Western Pennsylvania were recruited to play the game. Open‐ended questions were asked following gameplay to obtain participants’ feedback about ease of play and additional changes that would be needed to improve the game. Gameplay was video recorded using a screen recording software to observe participants’ behaviours while playing the game. Participants OTC medication safety knowledge was assessed before and after gameplay using pre/post questionnaires. Key findings All the participants liked the game, reporting that it was easy to navigate and fun to play. Gameplay screen recordings revealed at least three areas that would need to be redesigned for the game to be more engaging and effective. Seven out of the nine participants (78%) changed their answer to at least one question on the OTC medication safety post‐test survey compared to their pre‐test answers. There was an increase in the percentage of correct answers in the post‐test survey for questions asking about correct dosing and active ingredients. Three responses remained unchanged and the percentage of correct answers for the post‐test survey decreased for questions about the drug facts label and side effects. Conclusion This pilot suggests that a serious game may influence participants’ knowledge and attitude about OTC medication safety. Further research is needed to examine the potential of using serious games to teach children about safe medication use and negative consequences of inappropriate use.