To investigate whether immune mediated diseases (IMD) are more frequent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this population based registry study, a total of 47325 patients with IBD were alive and registered in the Danish National Patient Registry on December 16, 2013. Controls were randomly selected from the Danish Civil Registration System (CRS) and matched for sex, age, and municipality. We used ICD 10 codes to identify the diagnoses of the included patients. The IBD population was divided into three subgroups: Ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD) and Both the latter referring to those registered with both diagnoses. Subsequently, odds-ratios (OR) and 95%CI were obtained separately for each group and their respective controls. The use of Bonferoni post-test correction adjusted the significance level to P < 0.00125. P-values were estimated using Fisher’s exact test. There were significantly more women than men in the registry, and a greater percentage of comorbidity in the IBD groups (P < 0.05). Twenty different IMDs were all significantly more frequent in the IBD group. Sixteen were associated with UC versus twelve with CD. In both UC and CD ORs were significantly increased (P < 0.00125) for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), celiac disease, type 1 diabetes (T1D), sarcoidosis, asthma, iridocyclitis, psoriasis, pyoderma gangrenosum, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Restricted to UC (P < 0.00125) were autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, Grave’s disease, polymyalgia rheumatica, temporal arteritis , and atrophic gastritis. Restricted to CD (P < 0.00125) were psoriatic arthritis and episcleritis. Restricted to women with UC (P < 0.00125) were atrophic gastritis, rheumatoid arthritis, temporal arteritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica. Restricted to women with CD were episcleritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis. The only disease restricted to men (P < 0.00125) was sarcoidosis. Immune mediated diseases were significantly more frequent in patients with IBD. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that some IMDs and IBD may have overlapping pathogenic pathways.

Active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) during conception and pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes. Former studies have examined heterogeneous groups of women with varying degrees of IBD severity. We aimed to examine the effect of active IBD on birth outcomes in a more homogeneous group of women with a moderate to severe disease course. Since in Denmark, moderate to severe IBD is an indication for use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy, we examined all women who used anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy during pregnancy. We identified a nationwide cohort of 219 singleton pregnancies in women treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor-α therapy during pregnancy (2005–2014). Pregnancies with clinical disease activity (65.8%) constituted the exposed cohort and pregnancies without disease activity constituted the unexposed (34.2%). Disease activity scores were supported by levels of fecal calprotectin. Outcomes included low birth weight, preterm birth, and congenital anomalies. In women with IBD, disease activity was associated with adjusted odds ratio of low birth weight and preterm birth; 2.05 (95% confidence interval, 0.37–11.35) and 2.64 (95% confidence interval, 0.85–8.17), respectively. In those with clinical moderate to severe disease activity, the odds ratio for preterm birth was 3.60 (95% confidence interval, 1.14–11.36). In women with ulcerative colitis and disease activity, 19.5% had a child with low birth weight and 29.3% gave birth preterm. In women with moderate to severe IBD, 66% experienced disease activity during pregnancy. In those with the highest degree of disease activity, the risk of preterm birth was increased 3 to 4 folds. The proportion of adverse birth outcomes was high, particularly among women with ulcerative colitis and disease activity.

Patients referred to a medical admission unit (MAU) represent a broad spectrum of disease severity. In the interest of allocating resources to those who might potentially benefit most from clinical interventions, several scoring systems have been proposed as a triaging tool.

Summary: Background: Infliximab (IFX) maintenance therapy for Crohn's disease (CD) is administered every 8 weeks, but inter‐patient variation in optimal treatment intervals may exist.Aim: To assess, in a prospective pilot study, the efficacy, safety and quality of life (QoL) of IFX maintenance treatment scheduled through web‐based self‐monitoring of disease activity.Methods: Twenty‐seven CD patients in IFX maintenance therapy were enrolled and received a standardised disease education and web‐training. Using the http://www.cd.constant-care.dk concept, patients recorded their disease activity and faecal calprotectin weekly. From this, the inflammatory burden (IB) score was calculated, placing patients in the green, yellow or red zones of a ‘traffic light’ system. If placed in the yellow or red zones, the computer directed these patients to consult their physician for IFX infusion.Results: Seventeen patients (63%) completed 52 weeks of follow‐up, 6 (22%) completed 26 weeks and 4 (15%) were excluded due to loss of response, patient decision or non‐adherence. In total, 121 IFX infusions were given with a median interval of 9 (range: 4–18) weeks. Only 10% of infusions were given at 8‐week intervals, whereas 39% were administered with shorter and 50% with longer intervals respectively. The mean IB and the QoL remained stable during the web‐treatment. One mild infusion reaction and one case of folliculitis were observed, while three patients underwent surgery.Conclusions: The program http://www.cd.constant-care.dk appears to be a practical and safe concept for the individualised scheduling of maintenance treatment with IFX in patients with Crohn's disease. Larger studies are awaited to confirm this preliminary outcome.

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is defined as persistent or recurrent pain/discomfort centred in the upper abdomen, where no structural explanation for the symptoms is found. The role of drug treatment remains controversial. The aim in this study was to evaluate the effect of omeprazole 20 mg twice daily (b.i.d) and to test methods for symptom assessment. Methods: 197 patients fulfilling the criteria for FD were randomly allocated to double-blind treatment with omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d ( n = 100) or placebo ( n = 97) for 14 days. Patients with a known gastrointestinal disorder or with main symptoms indicating gastro-oesophageal reflux disease or irritable bowel syndrome were excluded. Helicobacter pylori testing and 24-h intra-oesophageal 24-h pH-metry were performed before randomization. The patients recorded dyspeptic symptoms on diary cards. Results: A stringent endpoint, 'complete symptom relief on the last day of treatment', was the primary efficacy variable. For the APT cohort, this was achieved in 29.0% and 17.7% on omeprazole and placebo, respectively (95% CI of difference (11.3%): -0.4%-23.0%, P = 0.057). Similar figures in the PP cohort were 31.0% and 15.5%, respectively (95% CI of difference (15.5%): 3.2%-27.7%, P = 0.018). The benefit of omeprazole in the PP cohort was confirmed by secondary endpoints such as, no dyspeptic symptoms on the last 2 days of treatment and overall treatment response. H. pylori status and the level of oesophageal acid exposure did not significantly influence the response to therapy. Conclusion: A subset of patients with FD will respond to therapy with omeprazole.

Background and Aim: Pan-enteric capsule endoscopy [PCE] is a highly sensitive but time-consuming tool for detecting pathology. Artificial intelligence [AI] algorithms might offer a possibility to assist in the review and reduce the analysis time of PCE. This study examines the agreement between PCE assessments aided by AI technology and standard evaluations, in patients suspected of Crohn’s disease [CD]. Method: PCEs from a prospective, blinded, multicentre study, including patients suspected of CD, were processed by the deep learning solution AXARO® [Augmented Endoscopy, Paris, France]. Based on the image output, two observers classified the patient’s PCE as normal or suggestive of CD, ulcerative colitis, or cancer. The primary outcome was per-patient sensitivities and specificities for detecting CD and inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Complete reading of PCE served as the reference standard. Results: A total of 131 patients’ PCEs were analysed, with a median recording time of 303 min. The AXARO® framework reduced output to a median of 470 images [2.1%] per patient, and the pooled median review time was 3.2 min per patient. For detecting CD, the observers had a sensitivity of 96% and 92% and a specificity of 93% and 90%, respectively. For the detection of IBD, both observers had a sensitivity of 97% and had a specificity of 91% and 90%, respectively. The negative predictive value was 95% for CD and 97% for IBD. Conclusions: Using the AXARO® framework reduced the initial review time substantially while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy—suggesting its use as a rapid tool to rule out IBD in PCEs of patients suspected of Crohn’s disease.