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Background: Delayed diagnosis seems to be common in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The study was carried out to investigate the diagnostic delay and associated risk factors in Austrian IBD patients.Methods: In a multicenter cross-sectional study adult patients with IBD attending 18 Austrian outpatient clinics completed a multi-item questionnaire that recorded medical and socioeconomic characteristics. The study outcome was diagnostic delay defined as the period from symptom onset to diagnosis of IBD.Results: A total of 1286 patients (Crohn's disease 830, ulcerative colitis 435, inflammatory bowel disease unclassified 21; females 651) with a median age of 40 years (interquartile range 31-52 years) and a median disease duration of 10 years (4-18 years) were analyzed. The median diagnostic delay was 6 months (2-23 months) in Crohn's disease and 3 months (1-10 months) in ulcerative colitis (p < 0.001). In the multivariable regression analysis Crohn's disease, greater age at diagnosis and a high educational level (compared to middle degree level) were independently associated with longer diagnostic delay.Conclusion: The diagnostic delay was longer in Crohn's disease than in ulcerative colitis patients and was associated with greater age at diagnosis and a higher educational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES:Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from healthy donors, which is an effective alternative for treatment of Clostridium difficile-associated disease, is being considered for several disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and metabolic syndrome. Disease remission upon FMT is thought to be facilitated by an efficient colonization of healthy donor microbiota, but knowledge of the composition and temporal stability of patient microbiota after FMT is lacking.METHODS:Five patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (Mayo score ≥6) and refractory to standard therapy received FMT via nasojejunal tube and enema. In addition to clinical activity and adverse events, the patients' fecal bacterial communities were monitored at multiple time points for up to 12 weeks using 16S rRNA gene-targeted pyrosequencing.RESULTS:FMT elicited fever and a temporary increase of C-reactive protein. Abundant bacteria from donors established in recipients, but the efficiency and stability of donor microbiota colonization varied greatly. A positive clinical response was observed after 12 weeks in one patient whose microbiota had been effectively augmented by FMT. This augmentation was marked by successive colonization of donor-derived phylotypes including the anti-inflammatory and/or short-chain fatty acid-producing Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Rosebura faecis, and Bacteroides ovatus. Disease severity (as measured by the Mayo score) was associated with an overrepresentation of Enterobacteriaceae and an underrepresentation of Lachnospiraceae.CONCLUSIONS:This study highlights the value of characterizing temporally resolved microbiota dynamics for a better understanding of FMT efficacy and provides potentially useful diagnostic indicators for monitoring FMT success in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES:Smoking and a lack of immunosuppressive (IS) therapy are considered risk factors for intestinal surgery in Crohn's disease (CD). Good evidence for the latter is lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of thiopurine treatment on surgical recurrence in patients after first intestinal resection for CD and its possible interaction with smoking.METHODS:Data on 326 patients after first intestinal resection were retrieved retrospectively, and subjects were grouped according to their postoperative exposure to thiopurines. Treatment with either azathioprine (AZA) or 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) was recorded on 161 patients (49%). Smoking status was assessed by directly contacting the patients.RESULTS:Surgical recurrence occurred in 151/326 (46.3%) patients after a median time of 71 (range 3–265) months. Cox regression revealed a significant reduction of re-operation rate in patients treated with AZA/6-MP for 36 months as compared with patients treated for 3–35 months, for less than 3 months, and to those without postoperative treatment with AZA/6-MP (P=0.004). Cox regression analysis revealed treatment with thiopurines for 36 months (hazard ratio (HR) 0.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23–0.76, P=0.004) and smoking (HR 1.6; 95% CI 1.14–2.4, P=0.008) as independent predictors for surgical recurrence. Furthermore, longer duration of disease tended to be protective (HR 0.99; 95% CI 0.99–1.0, P=0.067).CONCLUSIONS:Long-term maintenance treatment with AZA/6-MP reduces the risk of surgical recurrence in patients with CD. We also identified smoking as a risk factor for surgical recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]