Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome-like Symptoms in Patients With Quiescent Crohn’s Disease: Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Features and Intestinal Environment Including the Gut Microbiome, Organic Acids, and Intestinal Permeability
- Author:
Toshihiko TOMITA
1
;
Hirokazu FUKUI
;
Daisuke MORISHITA
;
Ayako MAEDA
;
Yutaka MAKIZAKI
;
Yoshiki TANAKA
;
Hiroshi OHNO
;
Tadayuki OSHIMA
;
Hiroto MIWA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2023;29(1):102-112
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Background/Aims:Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D)-like symptoms frequently occur in patients with quiescent Crohn’s disease (CD). To investigate the factors underlying IBS-D-like symptoms in patients with quiescent CD, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the clinical features and intestinal environment in those patients.
Methods:We performed a prospective observational study of 27 patients with quiescent CD (CD activity index [CDAI] ≤ 150; C-reactive protein ≤ 0.3 mg/dL). The presence and severity of IBS-D-like symptoms, health-related quality of life, disease-specific quality of life, andstatus of depression and anxiety were evaluated. The level of intestinal permeability, fecal calprotectin and organic acids and the profiles of gut microbiome were analyzed.
Results:Twelve of the 27 patients with quiescent CD (44.4%) had IBS-like symptoms, and these patients showed a significantly higher CDAI, IBS severity index and anxiety score than those without. The inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire score was significantly lower in the patients with IBS-D-like symptoms. There were no significant differences in small intestinal/colonic permeability or the levels of organic acids between the patients with and without IBS-D-like symptoms. Fusicatenibacter was significantly less abundant in the patients with IBS-D-like symptoms whereas their fecal calprotectin level was significantly higher (384.8 ± 310.6 mg/kg) than in patients without (161.0 ± 251.0 mg/kg). The receiver operating characteristic curve constructed to predict IBS-D-like symptoms in patients with quiescent CD using the fecal calprotectin level (cutoff, 125 mg/kg) showed a sensitivity and specificity of 73.3% and 91.7%, respectively.
Conclusion:Minimal inflammation is closely associated with the development of IBS-D-like symptoms in patients with quiescent CD.