Mucosal healing is not associated with better outcome during 7 years of follow-up in pediatric patients with Crohn's disease

Abstract

BackgroundMucosal healing (MH) has become a perspective treatment target in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Data about the impact of MH on long-term outcome in pediatric patients are still scarce. Methods 76 pediatric patients with CD were evaluated retrospectively (2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) in a tertiary care center. Based on MH achievement, they were divided into two groups (MH, n = 17 and No MH, n = 59). The primary endpoint was to assess the association of MH and the need for CD-related hospitalizations or surgery in pediatric patients with CD. ResultsThe number of hospitalized patients was 24% in the MH group and 42% in the No MH group, P = 0.26.The total number of CD-related hospitalizations was not signi cant between the MH group and the No MH group (5 vs. 41, P = 0.15). The time to the rst hospitalization was 24 months in MH and 21 months in No MH, p > 0.99. 24% patients in the MH group and 39% patients in the No MH group underwent CDrelated operation, P = 0.39. Time to the rst operation was 43 months for MH and 19 months for the No MH group, P = 0.13. The follow-up period was 91 months in the MH group and 80 months in the No MH group, P = 0.74. The use of in iximab was positively associated with MH, P = 0.002. ConclusionsMH was not associated with fewer CD-related hospitalizations or operations in pediatric patients with CD during seven years of follow-up.